Non Pacific resistance
by Taipan Kiryu
Summary: G1. Tired of Megatron’s maltreatment, Starscream starts a hunger strike to claim his rights as Second in Command. The road to respect lies inside an energon cube.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's notes: Even though countless stories have been written about the peculiar relationship between Megatron and Starscream, there is still a world of possibilities to be explored, some more ironic than others. _

_This story is the result of my addiction to put my favorite characters into awkward predicaments. Cartoons give us basics of their personalities, so it's not that easy to tell exactly how they would behave in certain situations. Personally I think Starscream has no limits when the edges of his limited patience are shaken._

_Big hugs to my fellow S. iratepirate for beta reading this chapter._

_(Sort of) disclaimer: Starscream is not mine… sigh._

* * *

**(Non) Pacific resistance**

**Chapter 1**

When living in the middle of a war, being shot down is not exactly an uncommon event.

Neither is returning to on-line mode after a bad shot, or good, from the enemy's point of view.

In his very particular case, it was also normal to return to consciousness and finding himself alone, not a single signal of his comrades in arms close.

Megatron had left him behind, once again.

Why wasn't he surprised? If he would receive an energon cube for every time Megatron abandoned him, he would be permanently over energized. It didn't seem like an unattractive situation, though. At least he wouldn't have a sober mind to rationalize humiliation.

Starscream crashed his furious fist on the ground, causing a small explosion of rocks and dust. Contradictory thoughts assaulted his processor in moments like that, moments that were becoming very frequent. The relief of having crashed out of enemy's reach was minimized by abandonment. Once again he was verifying that his own survival couldn't be less important to the Decepticon leader, or the rest of his comrades for the matter.

After the first moment of emotional frustration, Starscream forced himself to focus on his priorities. Following their primary function of preservation, his internal systems began to run a scan of the damages received during the battle with the Autobots. There was no bigger marvel in the universe than his own existence; everything else was secondary.

Getting on his hands and knees wasn't very difficult. Good, his limbs seemed to be operational, but a sharp pain in his back revealed the origin of his encounter with the ground. Laboriously, he directed his right hand toward the small discs that were still attached between his wings.

Gyro-inhibitor shells… unwelcome guests that had arrived thanks to some lucky shot of that Autobot Wheeljack, though he also had his own display of inopportune aerial acrobatics to blame.

Fate had a very humiliating way of working sometimes, and being grounded by some pacifist and mad joke of a scientist was one of its worst exhibitions.

There was also an ugly hole in his right wing, penetrated smoothly by a point blank shot. That had to be that fragging Sunstreaker's doing… trying to make his Jet Judo slag. The shot had hit his Decepticon insignia exactly, exposing the Autobot's dark sense of humor.

Starscream got rid of the three small disks that had caused his loss of balance. They were already inoperable, but carrying on his structure such symbols of indignity was unbearable.

He got up laboriously, his left leg revealing additional damage to one of his knee joints.

Great, just great… What was next?

He took off with considerably less speed than usual. His altitude wasn't what he expected, but soon his only operational engine expressed with irate roars what his vocalizer wanted to shout to the skies.

Destroying Megatron, using his head as a disposal bucket, building a monument to junk with his remains…

Thoughts of power and supremacy were not guiding him for once. It was pure hate, born from the certainty that he had been treated unfairly for the umpteenth time. Sometimes he wondered why Megatron had made him Air Commander and Second in Command of the Decepticon army. He always concluded the reasons were only sadistic and sick. Having a forced sparring partner, a catalyst for all frustrations, an eternal object to beat and humiliate, a comfortable culprit for Megatron's own failures… Where was the honor in Starscream's rank?

Things had to change… drastically. As he flew toward Decepticon Headquarters followed by a dark smoke cloud that came from his own injuries, Starscream promised himself he would make that change happen this time.

Megatron would repent.

* * *

Starscream was not surprised when the launching platform didn't rise to receive him, even though he was sure his presence had been detected.

It was the habit. Every time the Air Commander was abandoned after a battle, or every time he decided to delay his return to base to escape from Megatron's fury after a failed attempt to take over, nobody ever wondered about his absence or worried about his welfare.

'Dysfunctional elements always return', an ancient cybertronian saying stated, and there he was to prove it.

Returning in those circumstances was shameful, but he needed repairs and he wasn't in a condition to carry them out by himself.

Starscream activated the launching platform using his battle computer, grateful for one of the few privileges of being Second in Command that actually worked. At least he didn't have to humiliate himself asking for authorization, as any other Decepticon would have.

A few astro seconds later, the Atlantic Ocean divided, its surface broken by the imposing platform that opened in a display of water and foam.

Starscream moved into the darkness, no more second thoughts towering his decision.

* * *

Well-known images invaded the optics of the Decepticon Air Commander as soon as the elevator from the launching platform stopped and the double doors opened to reveal the Command Center of the base.

Soundwave was before the main computer, busy tracking new energy sources or doing any of those things that only he could take care of; Starscream couldn't have cared less. Both lieutenants ignored each other, just as they did every time they were between missions.

Starscream wished he'd received the same reaction from the two pairs of optics that fixated on him the moment he put a foot out of the elevator.

Sitting at one of the surveillance stations, Ramjet and Dirge seemed very bored performing duties they obviously hated. Watching the arrival of the shaken Air Commander was a welcomed change.

"Aaaaah…. how cute… the absent returned home," Dirge said.

"Welcome back, happy prince, did you have a pleasant flight?"

"I bet he did, Ramjet. Don't you think smoke suits him well? He almost looks handsome!"

Both Coneheads cackled maniacally as the black smoke coming out from Starscream expanded through the Command Center.

The distressed Seeker clenched his fists with fury and hurried his steps, dragging his hurt dignity behind. His limping was fuel to acid mockery.

"Hey, Screamer, what's wrong? Does your leg hurt?" Ramjet laughed, his voice full of hypocritical sympathy.

Half an astro second later, Ramjet was a spectacle of convulsions lying on the floor, courtesy of a blast from a very convenient null ray. Dirge flinched and fell from his chair, staring horrified at his friend.

Starscream shot a last dirty look at his two disrespectful subordinates before exiting the Command Center.

As Ramjet still twisted in agony, his systems momentary paralyzed, Soundwave continued his meticulous work on the computer, as if nothing had happened behind him.

Another rutinary day at the Nemesis.

* * *

Millimetric exactness was one of Hook's abilities, but conformity would never be one of his defects. He was always searching to increase the limits of perfection.

When the difference between success and failure lay within a radius no bigger than a nanometer, any slight imprecision could cause absolute chaos.

Hurried and erratic steps broke the presumptuous surgeon's concentration, almost provoking him to deviate the work of the electronic scalpel in his hand. He glanced with annoyance at the cause of the alteration to the formerly calmed Constructicon's Laboratory.

Not only Hook, but all his five mates, shot dirty looks at the smoking Seeker.

"Repair me," Starscream ordered as he walked toward one of the berths.

"You are not scheduled to be repaired. Leave," Scrapper coldly answered, returning his glance to the blueprints that had had all his attention before the interruption.

"Slag schedules! I am injured and I demand immediate repairs!"

Starscream emphasized his words with a violent punch to the nearest table. A storm of unidentified small mechanical pieces crashed to the floor, most of them of human manufacture.

"Hey, that is mine!" Scavenger complained.

"I wonder who is going to clean that mess…" Long Hauled seconded, pessimistically. He knew exactly that it would be him, just as usual.

"G-get the frag out of here, Starscream! Y-you are ruining my f-formula with your smoke!" Mixmaster cried.

"How would you like to have your head buried in your aft, you insane pile of reject parts?!" Bonecrusher growled, approaching dangerously.

Starscream moved too fast for his shattered condition. A point blank shot impacted Bonecrusher's shoulder, making him step back.

"You brutes back off!! Scrapper, Hook, repair me NOW! It's an order and I won't repeat it!"

Not waiting for an answer, the furious Seeker reached the closest repair berth and proceeded to lie down unceremoniously on his stomach. The position was as humiliating as it was disadvantaged, but he didn't have more respectful options.

The six Constructicons glanced at each other. A tacit agreement was made and Hook and Scrapper walked toward the patient. It didn't matter how much they hated the pompous Second in Command; driving him to the edges of fury had never been a good idea.

Mixmaster returned to his weird formula and Long Haul hurried to start repairs on Bonecrusher's shoulder, happy for being useful for something more than transportation duties for once in his life.

Scavenger sadly started to pick up the pile of junk he called treasures.

* * *

After a particularly humiliating session of repairs under Hook's meticulous but sadistic care, Starscream returned to his personal quarters, his structure completely restored but his self esteem on the floor.

Fortunately he didn't have another unpleasant encounter on his way. He didn't know if he would have been able to continue walking without assassinating somebody.

Despite his claustrophobia, very few times was the sight of the door of his personal quarters so welcomed. Locking himself in for a few or many hours meant being away from the glances of the others. Normally he appreciated loneliness; now it was more than the perfect companion.

Opening the door with a mental command, Starscream stopped cautiously at the threshold. He never entered his private sanctuary without verifying the non-violated condition of his security systems. It wasn't rare for some of his comrades, especially natural pranksters like Skywarp and Soundwave's Cassetticons, to target him for their disgusting jokes.

Fortunately that day none of his security protocols had been altered, and not a single particle of dust disturbed the tranquility of the only place in that asphyxiating base in which he felt some sort of security.

Starscream activated the lights to medium intensity and closed the door behind him. A solar cycle as forgettable as that one demanded an immediate recharge, but he disregarded the idea. His mind was too tormented to allow rest to happen.

Priorities needed to be addressed, his personal appearance being the first.

Hook had performed an impeccable job but, as always, the Constructicon tended to privilege efficacy over aesthetics. Starscream's right wing was in perfect condition, but the repaired spot was considerably less brilliant than the rest. An immediate solution had to be applied.

Guided by his vanity, he walked toward his private cleaning unit and started a slow process of washing and polishing. As the device worked gently on his structure, Starscream returned his thoughts to his main objective.

Vengeance.

Pure and complete vengeance, delicious and definitive retaliation…

His wishes couldn't be clearer, but the ways to achieve them were confused.

Megatron had no known weaknesses. Attacking him directly had always meant painful failures. How, then, was he going to give his hateful leader a decisive low hit?

The polishing process finalized and Starscream nodded at his wing, now as lustrous as the rest of his body.

His ego's demands solved, he walked toward his personal computer.

As soon as he activated it, the system displayed that his energon reserves hadn't been touched during the entire solar cycle that was about to conclude.

He ignored the announcement, the vital fuel being the last of his preoccupations. He wasn't hungry. Besides, Hook had completely energized him as part of the repairing procedure.

The report of the energy raid in which he had been injured displayed on the screen. A relative success… or failure. 58 percent of the energy had been obtained before the Autobots forced a hurried retirement.

He made the data disappear with a violent punch to the computer's console. He remembered he had to be more delicate with mindless machines when the image of the screen pixilated, announcing a probable short circuit.

Great… the perfect way to end a wonderful day.

He was about to start looking for possible damages to the computer when the image returned, but the cybertronian characters of the report weren't there anymore. In their place was what seemed to be one of those human newscasts.

A circus, a spectacle-worth of beasts… It was common for the advanced communication systems of the Nemesis to catch terrestrial television signals, but, unlike many Decepticons who actually enjoyed them, Starscream deeply despised them.

A frenetic finger was directed toward one grey button on the console, but abruptly stopped, grazing absent-mindedly its former objective as Starscream watched with sudden attention the images displayed on the screen.

His face brightened with juvenile joy as the images and words were being recorded in his memory banks. The answer to his problems appeared, saviour and promising.

Who would have thought? Some of those humans could have good ideas after all…

Yes, definitely he would make Megatron repent long before he had thought. It would be such a pleasure to see his hateful leader on his knees for a change.

Starscream's smile couldn't have been more evil.

_To be continued._

* * *

_Next: The beginning of an unthinkable strike._

_Please let me know your opinions. Update coming soon :o)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's notes: Wow, thanks for the wonderful response__ to this story. Mostly I'm writing this because I love Megatron and Starscream's eternal conflict. I just adore them trying to take the upper hand!_

_A ton of thank yous to iratepirate for beta reading this chapter at light speed. _

* * *

**Chapter 2**

If the Decepticons knew something for certain about their leader, it was that there was no such thing as perfection concerning his moods. He was never completely happy nor completely upset. This could have its advantages, but also its disadvantages. Generally, Megatron maintained a healthy equilibrium between fair leadership and tyranny, but his aggressiveness could explode at any moment, even if he wasn't particularly annoyed, which was the case that day.

It wasn't rare for Starscream to visit his leader's personal quarters. Many times the Air Commander had to respond in private for his mistakes or misfortunes during missions. In those occasions his pleas were more numerous than his explanations, but no matter how much he begged, there were marks of silver, red and blue paint on the walls that testified the painful lessons that had been dictated more than once behind the doors of the Decepticon Commander's quarters.

It was unusual, however, for Starscream to come up to his leader's sanctuary without having being summoned. Generally, the Seeker avoided being alone with a furious and aggressive Megatron as much as possible, and preferred to save his psychological attacks for moments in which there were others present. It was always much better to have an audience to attempt against his leader's morale and to show both the small and big inconsistencies in the command chain.

But that day Megatron was too busy to worry about what for him was nothing more than mere eccentricities of his Second in Command. That's why when his private monitors displayed the hateful figure of Starscream outside his door, the Decepticon leader completely ignored it.

Following the tradition, he also ignored the three times in which Starscream punched the button outside requesting an audience. What he couldn't ignore was the door hissing open and the sound of overconfident steps.

Megatron cursed himself in silence. He had forgotten to activate his security systems once again.

"Working with your doors open, _leader_?" Starscream said sarcastically as soon as he put one foot in Megatron's quarters. "You shouldn't be so careless. You never know who could be sneaking around outside trying to assassinate you."

"Right… fortunately that could never be you, could it Starscream, the most loyal of my warriors?" Megatron growled in ironic response.

"I'm just worried about your safety, that's all… What are you doing, by the way? What is that nonsense on the screen?"

"This nonsense, as you wisely call it, is nothing more than a basic strategy that I hope you will be able to fulfill this time. It has been proven that you are unable to follow plans that require thinking, so I'm forced to adopt more simple options."

"A strategy, huh? A strategy in which, of course, my opinion wasn't even considered."

"Logically not."

"Expect a new failure, then. I have just taken a fast glance at that diagram and I have already detected two mistakes in your… strategy."

A sudden punch to the console of the computer made Starscream flinch. It was never a bad idea to keep some distance between him and his leader to minimize the risk of a possible attack and, even though it was a usual companion in his life, Starscream definitely had no affection for pain.

Megatron looked over his shoulder and fixated his optics on his Second in Command for the first time during their conversation. "Do you have a better option, then? Following your stupid ideas in the past has only brought me defeats. I was leader of the Decepticons long before some insane mind had the idea of creating you, so shut your screechy vocalizer up and concentrate only on fulfilling my orders."

"And you certainly _don't _love to exaggerate, do you? Your leadership is a joke and you have a big flaw when it comes to counting time. I still remember when you were nothing more than an ignorant second class gladiator."

"Be careful, Starscream. Be _very_ careful."

The Seeker decided to change course. There was a limit in Megatron's patience and, once crossed, there was no way back. The last thing he wanted in that moment was to infuriate his leader, not yet at least…

"What is this all about, anyway?" Megatron continued. "You have already wasted valuable astro seconds of my time and, unless you have something really important to tell me, it would be wise for your health to disappear from my sight."

"As a matter of fact, I do have one question to ask you."

"Do it fast. I'm busy," Megatron roughly spat as he continued analyzing the diagram on the screen of his computer.

Starscream stood firmly on his feet and folded his arms across his chest; his face was strangely serious.

"Why did you leave me behind today, Megatron?"

"What?"

"After the battle… you abandoned me. Why?" Starscream repeated, analyzing carefully the confused expression on his leader's face. Could it be that the junk pile didn't realize it?

Megatron stared at Starscream in silence for some astro seconds before answering.

"Is this some kind of joke, Starscream? Because, if it is, you must have noticed already that I am not laughing."

"Oh, I know your sense of humor perfectly well, mighty leader. And no, this is not a joke."

Megatron's confusion began to turn into fury. "Then get to the point NOW."

"I was just wondering… If I hadn't returned from the battle today, would you have cared?"

Megatron's aggressive optics narrowed, fixated on the uncommon serenity in which Starscream was speaking.

"If I would have been destroyed today," the Seeker continued, "what would it have meant to you?"

"A new Air Commander, obviously," was the immediate answer. "And, of course, the pleasure of not having to listen to your whining again."

"I see… Then you don't care a slag about me."

"You are a genius. How long did it take you to reach that brilliant conclusion? Nine million years?"

Now it was time for Starscream's optics to narrow, his face showing something more than hate.

"If that was all, and even if it wasn't, you can give me the always welcomed sight of you getting out of here, Starscream. I have a lot to do in order to correct the mistakes you and your aerial unit made today."

"Why do you complain? Didn't you get your precious energy after all?"

"Barely the half of what I had on mind. A complete failure."

"And I suppose you blame me for that."

"Didn't I just say it? If you hadn't have let that Autobot take you down so pathetically, my Seekers wouldn't have broken their combat formation and the Aerialbots wouldn't have wasted them."

"Oh, so you noticed?! You saw perfectly that I was injured and still you gave the order to retreat without considering if I was functional or not!"

"Of course I noticed! But why would I bother returning for an erratic and useless element such as yourself?!"

"You stupid junk bucket! What if the Autobots had taken me prisoner?!"

Megatron smirked evilly. "Pity on them if they ever do that. I highly doubt Prime would be able to stand you."

"So that's what I am for you… an erratic element, a failure…"

Megatron smiled, exposing his sarcasm. "Have I ever lied to you, Starscream?"

"Not even after the hundreds of times you have left me behind after a battle."

"Why are you complaining? You came back in one piece, didn't you? And as far I can see your status is highly functional."

"If I came back it wasn't thanks to you."

"Would you quit the cheap sentimentalism? I knew you would come back. Are you satisfied now? _Dysfunctional elements always return."_

It was too much for Starscream. Being right had never infuriated him so much before, but his anger only reinforced his resolution. He raised his right arm and pointed an accusing finger at his leader's face.

"You will regret this, Megatron! I am more valuable than you think and I will prove…"

It was then that Megatron saw the small device hidden in Starscream's palm.

"What is that?" he demanded as he stood up from his chair.

_Oh frag…_

Starscream realized his mistake too late. Before he had time to get rid of the evidence, Megatron had already grabbed his arm and painfully bent it behind his back.

"Let go me, you brute!" the Seeker desperately cried.

"What do you have there? A weapon? Show it to me now! If this is another of your take over attempts, I swear I will snatch your spark away with my bare hands!"

Starscream struggled but it was pointless. Megatron was far stronger than him and all his efforts were useless.

"Don't play with my patience, Starscream! Open your slagging hand or I will tear it apart!"

Brute force easily imposed. Starscream was too in love with his physical structure to give up his hand, not to mention his entire arm. His fingers opened frenetically and a small device fell to the floor.

Megatron shoved Starscream away and picked up the suspicious object. "What is this? A data pad?"

Starscream rubbed his sore arm. "Give it back."

"I asked you a question and you will answer, Starscream!"

The Air Commander hurried to put some distance between them, and didn't respond until there was a desk between him and his leader.

"Market research," he simply said.

Megatron's fury seemed to vanish, blurred again by the disagreeable sensation of confusion. "Market research? What the frag you are talking about?"

"It's just a small study I'm doing."

Megatron looked at the contents of the data pad. "There are only two columns here, and the only things written are simple lines."

Starscream nodded. "Seventeen, to be precise; the amount of times in which you have disrespected or insulted me during our current conversation."

"And what about the empty column?"

"The amount of times in which you showed even minimal care about my welfare. What does that tell you, glorious lea…?"

Starscream's fast reflexes allowed him to bend down an astro second before the data pad hit the wall in the exact spot his head had been.

"…der? That makes eighteen."

"WHAT AM I, YOUR OBJECT OF STUDY?! GET OUT OF HERE, BUFFOON, BEFORE I MAKE YOU EAT YOUR OWN AFTERBURNERS!! HOW MUCH WOULD YOU LIKE THAT?!"

"Ninetee…"

Starscream couldn't continue. With amazing speed, Megatron reached him and violently grabbed his neck and one of his wings.

"Number twenty will be particularly painful if you ever bother me again with your stupidities!" Megatron shouted as he dragged his Second in Command toward the exit.

The door opened and immediately Starscream was brutally shoved outside. He crashed against the always cold wall and fell on his knees.

"I'm confused, Starscream. Does this count for twenty or twenty one?" Megatron mocked.

Starscream turned around immediately and shot a deadly look at his leader.

"This counts as the end of the countdown! Phase B starts now!!"

"What the slag is phase B?"

"You will see," Starscream hissed as he got up from the floor. "I'll make you regret the day you met me!"

"I already regret it! You are nothing but a curse in my life! Now get out of my sight and wait for my orders. If you fail me again, not even a million of your childish lists will be enough to keep count of what I will do to you!"

"That was not a list, but market research!"

"Whatever!"

The door closed and Starscream was left alone in the middle of the corridor.

He had survived the first round; good. Fortunately, Megatron hadn't seriously damaged him. He would need to be in optimal physical state for the next part of his plan.

He smirked. Phase B would be a very interesting experiment indeed.

* * *

Scavenger slid the cleaning cloth for the umpteenth time over what seemed to be some ramshackle and multi coloured vehicle of human manufacture.

"Good girl, Betty…" he whispered.

"You are truly sick," a raspy voice said behind him.

Scavenger jumped in surprise and hurried to hide the small human vehicle in his arms from the shadow that was already towering him.

"Starscream! W-what are you doing?"

"I should ask you the same question," the Seeker replied as he glanced at what was visible of the thing that the Constructicon was trying to hide behind his back. "Is that a license plate on that piece of junk you are hiding? What does _Ugly Betty_ mean?"

Scavenger was not a particularly fast robot but he moved at light speed as he put his treasure on a container and half covered it with the cloth.

"Repair of serious injures such as the ones you had before can provoke hallucinations," he recited. "I wouldn't trust much in my optics if I were you… If you are looking for Hook or Scrapper, they are not here as you can see. They went with the others to reinforce the inferior storage units of the base. Look for them there."

"I know, you fool, that's why I'm here. It's you who I'm looking for."

"M-me? Do you need extra repairs? You should speak to Hook…"

"I'm not here for repairs!"

Scavenger flinched again. Facing an angry Starscream was always disagreeable. Facing an angry Starscream _alone_ was definitely the last of his hobbies. He wished Bonecrusher had stayed behind.

Reading the uneasiness in the Constructicon's optics, Starscream smiled, almost with kindness.

"Relax, Scavenger. I just want to ask you a favour."

"A favour?"

Starscream nodded. "I need three… no, five doors exactly like the one of my personal quarters."

Scavenger frowned. For a moment he thought his audios had caught the wrong words and checked his memory banks. Perhaps Earth was playing tricks with his language files. Mixmaster used to say it happened a lot.

"Doors?"

"Do you have to repeat everything I say? I need five identical doors, just as the one I have on my personal quarters right now. Build them. They have to be ready before three solar cycles. Understood?"

"What do you need five doors for?"

"That is not of your concern. Just build them and don't ask questions. I don't need to say this is a private business, no need for your Constructicon comrades to know."

"But they will see me building them…"

"That is not my problem. Work during night shifts or something, but I want them in no longer than three cycles. Don't make me repeat it again."

"Alright, alright… I'll see what I can do."

"Let me know when you have them ready. I'll take care of the discreet transportation," Starscream continued as he walked toward the door. He stopped at the threshold.

"And Scavenger?"

"What?"

"You should stop having those sick fetishes about terrestrial junk. It's disgusting."

Starscream left, leaving an extremely ashamed Constructicon behind. Being invisible never seemed so tempting.

_To be continued._

* * *

_This chapter was very fun to write. Please let me know if you enjoyed it as well. Update coming soon! As Starscream said, countdown is over. The hunger strike starts now! _


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's notes: Thanks so much guys for the awesome reviews I have received for this fic. Actually this cracked piece of fiction started as some fleeting idea when I was thinking about two stories that I'm about to write and will be slightly related to this one, so some hints will be given but nothing confusing, don't worry. My fics are related to each other but they don't follow any chronological order._

_I have been questioned for the reason why I decided to name this fic "Pacific" instead of "Pacifist". The truth is that I wanted to play a little bit with the words. Pacifist would have been the logical option but I thought pacific would suit better with the way I want to play with Starscream's character in this story. But then again, I'm Mexican and Spanish spoken, so it could also be that I'm mistaking the use of the words. I couldn't tell, really, and I don't want to torture my beta with my language flaws. She says it's not torture, by the way. Thanks a lot to iratepirate for beta reading :o) _

* * *

**Chapter three**

Nobody wondered why Starscream didn't show up during the energon distribution of the next solar cycle. Not that anybody cared, but even if someone had been curious about the reason for his absence, certainly the conclusion would have been that the Air Commander, as any other high ranking officer, had a personal stock of energon amongst his privileges. Not unlimited, because energon was a luxury in times in which the Autobots were making it so hard to acquire, but big enough to not have problems of low energy levels and even enough for over energizing purposes.

Starscream's absence was, thus, nothing to be amazed by, just as his presence was. His arrogant, raspy voice was one of the many familiar noises in the Nemesis base, though his constant mood changes made him disappear for entire cycles sometimes; most of them spent running away from Megatron's wrath only to return later like nothing had happened, only to continue his infinite harangue about his greatness as the future Decepticon leader.

But, once again, nobody wondered about the empty table at the end of the refueling room, the one that Starscream would occupy every time he decided to honor his comrades with his presence.

Nobody wondered, except Megatron.

"Where is Starscream?" he asked, when he finally noticed the absence of a certain treacherous presence behind his back.

"Location unknown," Soundwave replied.

"Wasn't he informed of the raid for today?"

"Information delivered."

"Then he should already be here. Summon him!"

"As you command, Megatron."

Megatron frowned. It wasn't rare for Starscream to miss the daily energon distribution, but millions of years of experience dealing with his Second in Command had taught the Decepticon leader how to recognize a bad omen. He disregarded the idea, though. Giving any kind of importance to a simple presentiment was not his style and it wouldn't begin to be now.

* * *

The sound of jet engines was normal in the terrestrial skies. The same way the sound of Decepticon jets had become recurrent in the aerial space close to power plants.

The alarms activated and distress signals were sent to the Autobots long before the first Decepticon landed on the facilities. Once again, Megatron had underestimated the Autobot intervention and privileged the recollection of the energy, a serious lack of prudence as Starscream used to say.

But the mission couldn't have been less important for the Air Commander that day. He coldly ignored the terrified humans' cries and let the little creatures run away without using them for target practice as he usually did in those situations.

A towering shadow at his left made him turn around, just in time to catch one of the huge turbines the Constructicons had designed to transform thermoelectric energy into energon at a faster speed than a normal converter. Starscream stepped back and almost lost his equilibrium, but managed to stabilize without dropping the device that his leader had thrown so violently toward him.

"What is wrong with you, Starscream?" Megatron yelled at him. "Stop behaving like a mindless drone and do something useful for a change. Install that turbine in the main machine room and start to extract energy. Now!"

Second bad omen. Starscream was never docile concerning the acceptance of tasks that he considered degrading for his rank, such as the case of mere energy extraction. The way he had only nodded in agreement meant that indeed something was not working properly that day, but Megatron didn't have time to fathom those thoughts. The engines of the arriving Autobots were audible enough and the Decepticon leader hurried to guide his troops to the upcoming battle.

* * *

Starscream ignored the sound of the first laser beams. He walked into the machine room and installed absent-mindedly the turbine, which immediately started to extract energy.

A couple of minutes passed in which the most exciting thing that happened was the monotonous humming of the machine. Everything was so routinary and boring, and even if it wasn't, any motivation was denied from the Decepticon Air Commander that morning.

The ultimate proof came when he clearly heard the sound of hurried steps approaching his location and didn't do anything about the matter, not even when he felt, more than saw, a weapon aiming at him.

"Just move a finger and I swear you will be facing Primus today, Starscream!"

The Seeker stared at Ironhide in the same way he would have looked at an insect.

The Autobot frowned. "Aren't you going to defend yourself?"

Starscream folded his arms across his chest and leaned casually on one of the consoles of the machine room.

"Why would I?" was his nonchalant answer.

"Maybe because I'm pointing at you and because I'm about to turn you into melted junk."

Starscream smirked. "Are you going to shoot a defenseless mech? I don't think so, Autobot."

"And since when you consider yourself defenseless, you insane pile of reject parts?"

"Could you spare me the insults part? It is quite boring, not to mention primitive."

Ironhide's grimace became more acid. "What's this all about?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

The Autobot weapons specialist scanned his surroundings, his distrust more awake than ever.

"This is no trap, I assure you," laughed Starscream.

"Yeah, right… and I'm gonna believe in your word, right? After all, honesty is your specialty," Ironhide spat disdainfully as he advanced toward his enemy with extreme caution. "What are you doing here anyway? Why aren't you outside fighting beside the other Decepticon scums?"

Starscream's smirk increased its irony. "Why should I?"

"Your games are beginning to annoy me, punk. Don't forget I have a weapon ready to shoot point blank at your face."

"To be honest with you, Autobot, I couldn't care less."

Unconsciously, Ironhide put down his gun and scratched his head, totally confused. "What the slag is wrong with you? Did your logic circuits fry?"

"Let's say I'm not in the mood for violence today."

Ironhide remained standing in silence for some seconds, convinced that his audios had caught the wrong words.

"Oh, I see what's happening here…" he finally said. "How do you dare come to a battle in such a shameful state? I didn't know the Decepticons were so stupid as to inebriate before an energy raid. Can you even walk in a straight line, you drunk slag?"

"I'm not over energized, you Autobot dolt!" Starscream shouted, giving up to his annoyance for a moment.

Ironhide aimed at him again, suddenly remembering who he was dealing with. "Be careful, scum bag, very careful how you address me. I'm the one with the gun, remember? Now, how do I turn that turbine off?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Ironhide looked uneasily at the device that was continuing its work of producing pure energon.

"What?" mocked Starscream. "Don't you know how to deactivate a simple turbine? Aren't you an ancient model, Autobot? You are a shame to technology."

"Shut up, Decepticon slag, I'm not as old as you think!"

Starscream shook his head. "If you say so… Perhaps you want me to deactivate it for you?"

"Stay where you are! I'm perfectly able to turn it off myself!"

"I was just kindly offering you my help."

"Shove your kindness up your afterburners. I said I would do it myself!"

"Whatever you say."

Starscream got comfortable on the console he was leaning on, enjoying the spectacle of Ironhide awkwardly analyzing the mechanism of the turbine with one hand while keeping his gun aimed toward him with the other. It was quite amusing. Suddenly the Decepticon's plan was having unexpected but satisfying results.

"I wouldn't even consider touching the green cable if I were you, Autobot. Try the red one," he suggested, smirking.

"I would interface with a Quintesson before trusting you," Ironhide growled as, more decided than ever, directed his fingers toward the green cable.

"Suit yourself."

The moment Ironhide disconnected the infamous green cable, the turbine started to tremble violently as white smoke erupted from its insides. The Autobot stepped back in panic in the precise moment a pinkish ray grazed his head and impacted the unstable device.

Immediately, Ironhide turned over his shoulder and aimed again at Starscream, whose arm rifle was still smoking.

"Null ray," the Seeker hurried to explain before the shocked Autobot decided to honour his promise of shooting him. "You chose to activate the self destruction mechanism of the turbine and there was no other way to neutralize it. You could say I just saved your life."

The Seeker folded his arms again and Ironhide couldn't help but put down his weapon. For a moment he seriously wondered if it wasn't him who was over energized after all. Whoever was standing in front of him, it couldn't be the Decepticon Air Commander.

"But why… who…?"

Starscream disdainfully grimaced. "I'm not in the mood for explosions today, that's all."

A saviour buzz coming from the Decepticon's com link broke the awkward silence.

"That is my signal to retreat. I'll see you some other time, Autobot," he said looking at his wrist.

"Hey, where do you think you are going? You still have a lot to explain!"

Starscream unfolded his arms and calmly walked toward the entrance. "On the contrary; everything has been already said. I hope this encounter hasn't been as boring for you as it was for me."

"I'm not joking, Starscream! Stop right there or by Primus I will make you!" Ironhide yelled, pointing his gun at his enemy's head.

"You will have to shoot me in the back, then. Farewell, ancient model. Don't forget to stay away from green cables."

Ironhide put down his weapon, unable to shoot at the Decepticon, who disappeared nonchalantly into the shinning morning light.

What the slag had that been? An hallucination? Definitely Ironhide would have to ask Ratchet to check his processor. He was sure of something, though. He really needed a cube of good old high grade energon.

* * *

Starscream sat before his computer and rested his legs on the console. A split-second scan of his status revealed he had spent an insignificant amount of energy during the recent raid of the human power plant. Who would have thought… peace had its advantages after all.

The only disagreeable moment happened when Megatron punched him for losing one of his precious super turbines, but it left only minor damage. If his plan succeeded, the days of being the receiver of his leader's aggressions were counted.

Starscream checked his internal chronometer. The visitor he was expecting was delayed by more than four breems. Nothing to be surprised by, but it didn't have to be tolerated either. Poor punctuality was in the top ten of the hate list of the Decepticon Second in Command.

Just before the four breems turned into five, the newcomer announced his presence with heavy footsteps that had no intention of being subtle.

Starscream punched a button and the door of his personal quarters opened to allow the visitor to enter.

"Finally! I don't know why I thought you would be a little bit more punctual," Starscream complained.

"Stop barking, would you Screamer? At least I came, didn't I?" Skywarp growled as the door closed behind his back.

"Why didn't you teleport?"

"I would never invade your privacy."

Starscream shot a murderous look at his wingmate.

Skywarp shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, alright… your security systems don't make it easy for me, are you satisfied now? Why did you summon me, anyway? Your message said it was urgent and confidential."

"It is. I need a personal favour from you."

Skywarp frowned. "What? All this discretion for a simple personal matter? And where did you get the fragging idea I would do favour for you precisely?!"

"From the fact that I will pay generously for your services."

Skywarp's grimace softened. "How generously?"

"Five energon cubes."

Skywarp remained meditative for some moments. "What's the favour about?"

"Nothing complicated. I need you to teleport to storage unit 15-D and bring back to my quarters the five doors you will find there."

"Doors?"

"That's what I said."

"What the frag do you want five doors for?"

"That's not of your concern."

"You're really insane, Screamer."

"Time is running and the nocturnal shift will be over soon. Hurry up if you don't want to catch unnecessary attention."

"Fine, fine… you better have those energon cubes ready."

Skywarp disappeared without waiting for an answer.

Starscream didn't have to wait long. Some astro seconds later the teleporter returned, carrying uneasily three of the famous doors.

"Careful, you idiot!" shrieked Starscream, getting up from his seat and barely preventing the doors from falling noisily to the floor. "Do you want to whole base to know what we are doing?"

"Your problem. Now wait here, I still have two left to teleport."

Skywarp vanished again. Another favorite in Starscream's hate list was having to rely on such disrespectful wingmates. Hopefully he would be able to produce important changes on the matter soon.

The black and purple Seeker reappeared with what was left of his charge.

"Good. Put them there," Starscream said, pointing toward the wall.

Skywarp growled something unintelligible in a low voice but obeyed. "Well, it's done. Where is my energon?"

Starscream activated a mechanism on his forearm and a hidden panel on the wall opened, revealing a secret storage unit.

"Whoa, so there's where you keep it!" Skywarp said cheerfully. "I wonder why I never found it?"

"I'm guessing because of your brilliant intelligence. By the way, in case you are planning future robberies, I recommend you to think it twice unless you want to lose your arms in a very painful way. I'm the only one who knows how to deactivate the security system, so don't try anything stupid."

"You're such an aft."

Starscream compressed five cubes and gave them to Skywarp, who placed them inside his cockpit. "High grade?" he asked.

"Two of them are."

"You know, Screamer? I changed my mind. I think I put myself in risk helping you with your weird ideas. My fees have just duplicated."

"Why you…"

"Ten cubes, and five have to be high grade. Give them to me now, or I will not only take those five doors back to the storage unit, but will tell the whole base you have a crush on the Autobot Moonracer."

"That is not true!"

"Really? Then why do you have images of her on your computer?"

Starscream's optics narrowed dangerously, emanating deadly shines. "Were you looking at my private files?!"

Skywarp smirked cynically. "Just a few, the others are highly protected. What else are you hiding in that computer?"

"Not of your fragging business."

"Whatever. The thing is that if you want my discretion, you better be more than generous with your favorite wingmate."

For a moment, it seemed that Starscream was about to unleash all his firepower on his irreverent subordinate, but suddenly, to Skywarp's surprise, the Air Commander softened his grimace and smirked, as if he had remembered something.

"But of course… now that I think about it, it's not a bad idea at all. Better to avoid temptations," he said more to himself than to Skywarp.

"Huh?"

Starscream walked again toward the open panel full of energon cubes. "Ten, you said? And why not fifteen? I have a better idea: take them all. Half of them are the best high grade you will ever taste."

"W-what…? All of them? What is this slag?"

Starscream didn't hide his amusement. The expression of absolute confusion on Skywarp's face was hilarious.

"I said you can have all my cubes. Twenty-one in total."

Skywarp slowly retreated, like if he had a bomb about to explode before him.

"What's the trick?" he asked with a very serious tone, something totally unusual for him.

"There is no trick. I'm giving you all my personal stock. Can't I have a nice detail with my most treacherous wingmate?"

"Speaking of betrayal… I don't buy it, Screamer. This is a trap and a very dangerous one by the way. Keep all your energon. I'm out of here."

"Are you going to refuse twenty-one energon cubes, Skywarp? I knew you were an idiot, but not this big," Starscream softly said, taking one cube and shaking its contents seductively.

Skywarp started at the tempting liquid, but didn't dare to make a move.

Starscream's smirk disappeared from his face and his more familiar grimace of contempt appeared instead. "Would I poison my own energon, you imbecile? Come on, take it all and let's finish this! You are wasting my precious time."

Unable to resist anymore, Skywarp cautiously transformed into his alternate mode. "Just put the cubes in my cargo deck. I can't carry them all otherwise."

As he felt Starscream piling up the cubes on his deck, Skywarp cursed himself for being so naïve. Maybe his impulsive weakness would cost him total deactivation. It was impossible to know with Starscream…

However, if Starscream was planning to assassinate him, it wouldn't be in that moment. His cargo deck closed and the hand of his Air Commander placed heavily on his right wing.

"This deal is concluded. If you know what is good for you, you will keep your vocalizer shut about what happened here and whatever you saw in my personal files. I won't repeat it, Skywarp."

The black jet didn't answer, but before teleporting he had time to realize it was the first time since he met Starscream that his raspy voice had sounded so honestly threatening.

_To be continued._

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I was grinning all the time as I was writing that dialogue with Ironhide. Please let me know your comments. See you soon!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you so much for your support guys! I'm so glad this story is being enjoyed. My beta __reader will be travelling for the next days and I didn't want to bother her, so I'm posting this without editing. Apologies in advance for the grammar mistakes. English is not my first language and I just can't avoid them._

_Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this chapter. _

_¡Feliz Día de Muertos!_

_

* * *

  
_

**Chapter 4**

Thundercracker wasn't surprised when a certain purple beam suddenly appeared beside him; it was common for Skywarp to invade his personal space. But the blue and grey Seeker flinched when an energon cube was brusquely placed between his optics and the data pad he was reading. Still, he had the serenity to avoid welcoming his wingmate with a well deserved punch in the nose.

"How many times have I told you not to teleport into my personal quarters without letting me know first, Warp?" he complained, pushing the cube aside.

"Apparently not enough. What are you reading? What is this… Check Hov thing?" Skywarp replied as he snatched the data pad from his friend's hands.

Thundercracker got up from his chair. "The name is Chekhov, and it's not of your concern. Give me that data pad back," he angrily said.

"Are you wasting your time with stupid human readings again? You're becoming so boring, TC… You worry me; you used to be a fun guy before."

"And you used to apply logic a little more before."

Skywarp shook his head and threw the data pad over his shoulder. "Tsss tsss… is that the way to treat your best friend who is only trying to spend some quality time with you? Your ingratitude offends me."

"Warp, I swear it. My patience has a limit and you are very close to reach it... Wait! Is that high grade?" Thundercracker asked as he fixated his optics on the energon cube in Skywarp's hand for the first time during their conversation.

"You bet it is."

"Where did you get it? If you stole it from Megatron's personal stock again…"

"Relax, not this time."

"I won't be part of your insane ideas, I warn you. You are on your own."

"Would you calm down? I got this high grade in a perfectly legal way. All I want is to share it with you."

"I'm afraid your definition of legal abismally varies from mine."

Skywarp rolled his optics, internally asking for the unknown feeling of patience.

"TC, I mean it… Sometimes you make it so hard for me to avoid shooting you. This energon was a gift from Starscream, alright? Now shut your vocalizer and drink it. We won't be on duty until next solar cycle. There is plenty of time get over energized."

Once again, Thundercracker put aside the cube that Skywarp almost crashed against his face.

"You know perfectly well I have very few tolerance with high grade… Wait a moment… Did you just say that Starscream gave you this?"

"Yes, so?"

"Starscream would never share his energon stock with anybody, even less with you."

Skywarp shrugged his shoulders. "I know that, but he just did. I think he hit his head or became idiot, whatever. Are you going to drink or not? You're the funniest mech when you are drunk."

Thundercracker ignored his wingmate. "Now that you mention it, I noticed Starscream acting strange during the energy raid today. He was quite… silent."

"Slag you, TC, you are soooo not fun," Skywarp growled as he emptied the energon cube in a single sip.

"Where is Starscream now?"

"In his quarters, I suppose… Who cares?" Skywarp asked, taking out of subspace another cube of high grade.

"How much energon did he give you?"

"I don't know. Twenty or twenty one cubes, I don't remember. I already drank five. Are you sure you don't want some? They won't last much, I warn you."

"Twenty one?! But that must be his complete stock!"

"That's what he said."

"This is definitely very weird. Starscream never shares, even less gives away his belongings. What is this madness?"

"That's why I'm telling you he lost it. All he asked me was to teleport some doors to his personal quarters. Are you drinking or not?"

"Doors? What the slag does he want doors for?"

Skywarp emptied the second energon cube and violently crashed it against Thundercracker's computer.

"I had enough, TC!! I tried to be patient with you, but you crossed the line! Head or cockpit?"

"What?"

"I don't have all day, brother! Where do you want it, head or cockpit?"

"Oh… head."

Skywarp smirked and directed a punch toward Thundercracker's face, who agilely dodged it and tackled his wingmate in return. Both Seekers fell to the floor and started one more of their fraternal but violent fights, all thought about Starscream momentarily forgotten.

---------------

Within Megatron's huge hate list, inactivity was an old favorite.

Created surrounded by distrust and violence, the Decepticon leader had learned to move before speaking. The primitive instinct of survival had always leaded him, conflicting sometimes the edges of his cold reasoning.

Megatron felt comfortable challenging the thin line between staying operational and total deactivation; battles and danger were basic parts of his programming. Comanding his army on deadly missions took his spark to impossible levels of excitement. It was then when he felt totally alive.

That's why supervising ordinary data storing labours was repulsive to him, almost unbearable.

Generally, Soundwave took care of most of those monotonous tasks, but Megatron liked to be informed of everything related to the functioning of the Decepticon Empire, relevant or not. That was the reason why he was sitting on his throne that day, revising the statistics of the energy obtained from the most recient raid.

He had no reason to complain; Soundwave was entering the information at supersonic speed, but still Megatron deeply resented the lack of activity, his bad humor increased by the fact that the raid hadn't been as successful as he had planned due to the intervention of the Autobots.

Suddenly, the repetitive noise of the data being transferred stopped.

"What is it, Soundwave?" Megatron asked, his flat voice not attempting to hide his boredom.

"Starscream's report missing," the Communication Officer informed.

"Strange. Starscream's reports are never delayed. Make him deliver it immediately."

"As you command, Megatron."

Tense seconds went by. All that could be heard was the tapping of Megatron's fingers on his throne's arms. Normally he wouldn't have given importance to Starscream's report, but suddenly the small omens he had felt during the day made him return his attention toward his Second in Command.

"Well?" he asked, when he realized Soundwave was taking more time than normal to inform him the results of a simple communication.

Soundwave didn't respond.

Megatron narrowed his optics. "Did Starscream reply?"

"Affirmative."

"And?"

Once again, Soundwave remained silent.

A non pacifist fist hit the right arm of the throne. "I won't repeat the question again, Soundwave!"

"Starscream has responded," Soundwave intoned.

"And? What did he say?"

"Answer irrelevant for Decepticon cause."

"I ASKED WHAT HE DID SAY."

After three more astro seconds of silence, Soundwave spoke again, his voice more emotionless than ever.

"From Air Commander Starscream to Supreme Commander Megatron: Why don't you take your fusion cannon and stick it up your aft?"

Megatron wasn't the fastest Decepticon alive, but everything could have an exception. In the blink of an optic, he was gone.

There were no anger exclamations and no insults. He didn't even kick anything on his way out. Soundwave perfectly knew his leader was preserving his anger for the appropiate moment… and subject.

--------------

Perhaps seven doors would have been better than five.

But no matter what, Starscream knew he would have to use his first replacement that same solar cycle.

As expected, Megatron's fury wouldn't keep him waiting. Starscream wasn't surprised when he saw the door of his personal quarters blown to pieces, destroyed by a fusion cannon shot.

"Well, hello leader. As elegant as always when you come to visit me. Just a little more subtlety and anybody could swear you are not an ignorant brute after all, huh?"

Megatron didn't reply with words. Starscream flinched when he felt vicious fingers stabbing his shoulder as he was lifted up from his seat. All he could see were two irate crimson optics before he was slammed against the wall, Megatron's powerful hand already crushing his throat components.

For once, Starscream didn't grab his leader's arm in an attempt to free his tortured throat.

"D-do you have any idea… of how many times you have grabbed my neck like this, Megatron?" he gasped.

"Not a clue. Why don't you amaze me with your wisdom, Starscream? Do you also keep a stupid list for this?" was the rude answer. However, Megatron's sarcasm announciated a decrease on his fury.

"T-ten million… four hundred and eighty two times..."

Megatron opened his hand and Starscream fell to the floor.

"So few? Really? How disappointing… We will have to increase that number, then."

Starscream tried to get up but his right hand was brutally crashed by a grey foot.

"Please, stay on the floor and make yourself comfortable. Don't get up just because of me," Megatron mocked.

"It's good to know you care for my comfort…" Starscream muttered as he did he best not to beg for his life. The old symphony had to change. He would make it change.

Megatron narrowed his optics and freed his Second in Command's tortured hand. The old irony was there, as well as the always latent violence… but still there was something new, something that wasn't before.

Starscream was just beginning to scan his hand joints to make sure none of his fingers was broken, when he felt he was brusquely picked up from the floor and thrown away. He fell sitting on his chair, unmistakable signal that Megatron had the intention to talk before using his fusion cannon. Good.

"Alright, you have my attention. Speak," Megatron commanded.

"What? Do you suddenly care for what I have to say?"

"Don't talk nonsense. Before sending you to the Repair Bay, I'm curious about the reason of your current behaviour, not to mention your poor performance during today's energy raid."

"That's what I thought. As you clearly stated, you don't care a slag for me."

"Didn't we let that clear already? For your own sake, I hope that stupid list of yours is not involved in all this."

"That was market resear..."

"I don't care what it was! My time is precious, you idiot; you are warned. You have ten astro seconds to explain yourself. Time is running."

"Why am I not surprised? You solve everything with violence. You are as pathetic as predictable, _dear_ leader."

"I hope you are aware you are entering a dangerous zone."

Starscream smirked, his cynicism exposed on the curvature of his lips. "Is that so? Am I close to reach the _Great _Megatron's patience?"

Clenched fists were the answer. Total deactivation was a serious risk now. The moment to establish the rules of the game had arrived.

"Go ahead," Starscream calmly said. "Beat me, shoot me, shred me into pieces… I don't care."

The Seeker knew he was risking too much. Despite what he had said, he could never know how exactly his leader would react to his provocations, but this time he would stay firm til the end. Fortunately, the first signals were promising. Megatron didn't attack him.

"You don't care…" Megatron repeated what he just had heard, his voice cold. "You won't care then if I snatch your spark with my hands and show it to you before you enter oblivion."

"Do whatever you want."

Megatron smirked. "Is that so? Aren't you going to defend yourself? Not even a single null ray?"

"Not this time, Megatron. I won't enter your violence circle again."

"I see. I must say you disappoint me, Starscream. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"On the contrary, leader. More than ever, I feel proud of my actions. After today, you will kneel before me."

"What the slag are you talking about?" Megatron asked as he carefully glanced around him, his inner scanners suddenly working at full capacity.

"Don't waste your time being cautious. You will find no weapons here, no trap."

"Explain yourself right now. I won't repeat it."

"I'm only saying I will see you humiliated, and I will do it without any kind of violence, but all the opposite. Never underestimate the power of peace, Megatron."

Megatron was perplex. For a moment he stared at the mechanoid sitting before him, wondering if that stranger was his Second in Command.

The following seconds of silence were a delight for Starscream, who was recording the image of stupefaction that his leader's face features were displaying, a priceless addition to his collection.

"Have you been drinking high grade, Starscream?" Megatron finally asked, his fury suddenly vanished.

Now it was Starscream who gave up to anger, his fist hitting the arms of his chair.

"Why the slag everybody thinks I'm over energized?!"

"Perhaps because you are acting more illogically than usual, if such a thing is possible…"

"No, Megatron, I wasn't drinking high grade, not even ordinary energon! As a matter of fact, I haven't refueled at all during the past two cycles."

"That would explain your lack of mental coordination."

"Would you shut up for a moment and listen to me, for Primus sake?!"

"I won't waste a single astro second more in your stupid rambl…"

"I started a hunger strike, Megatron!!"

Megatron's optics blinked in confussion.

"Hunger… what?"

"Hunger strike. Voluntary deprivation of fuel until you listen to my demands."

"What in the name of Cybertron are you talking about, Starscream?"

"Wasn't I clear enough, you ignorant fool? I'm talking about a way of pacific resistance practiced by the humans."

Megatron slowly stepped back. "It happened, it finally happened… I knew I would live to see this day… You finally went completely insane."

Starscream got up from his chair and faced Megatron.

"I'm more sane than ever, you pathetic cartoon of a tyrant! And know this: I won't consume a single drop of energon until you fulfill my demands!"

"And what kind of demands are we talking about?"

"Respect! I'm tired of being your slagging joke. You will respect me, Megatron, or you will lose your Second in Command and Air Commander. And before you say whatever you are going to say about my unworthiness, let me remind you nobody is able to replace me!"

Megatron's optics revealed his fury again. His right arm lifted dangerously and a furious shot shook the room.

Starscream didn't even move. He was expecting such reaction.

"Where is it?!" Megatron roared looking at the big smoking hole in the wall. "Where is your energon's personal stock?!"

"You are lucky my storage unit is empty. Otherwise you would've caused an explosion of major proportions, _Mighty _Megatron."

"I asked where your energon stock is, Starscream!"

"Obviously not here, as you can see. As a matter of fact, nowhere. I gave it away."

"You gave it away?! To who?"

"That doesn't matter. What you should better understand is that my hunger strike is serious, so you better think carefully your next move."

For a moment, it seemed that Megatron would shoot again his fusion cannon, this time directed toward Starscream. But it didn't happen. If Megatron's processor was able to have some sort of inner control, it must had been operating in full capacity at that precise moment.

"I see where you are going, Starscream. Pathethic as always… though ingenious, I must admit."

"Well, thank you very much, leader," was the ironic answer.

"Among all your attempts to overthrow me, this is the most childish by far. I can't imagine how desperated you must have been to resort to this lame human strategy."

"Desperated is not the word I would use."

"Whatever. You must know, however, that you won't succeed. None of your stupid theories will be proved, and you will remain being the most pathetic of my subordinates. If your desire is to starve until deactivation, please procceed. You won't obtain anything from me, neither respect nor punishment."

"We'll see if you say the same when you realize how much you need me. The Decepticon army can't function without me and you know it."

"Every soldier is dispensable, and you are certainly not the exception. I don't need to say it, but still I will: from this moment, you are relegated of your rank, and any privilege associated to your former position will be removed. If you want to act like a civilian, you will be treated as one. Enjoy your little game as much as you can, because it will be short. I will see you on your knees begging for my forgiveness as so many times before."

"I recommend you to sit for the rest of eternity, Megatron, because you will never see such an image again. It will be me who will see you begging. You should check your knee joints because you will be using them with a lot of frequency from now on."

"As I said, we shall see. For once I will be generous with you and will help you in the noble mission of your hunger strike. I will personally make sure not a single drop of energon will reach you. If, as you said, you haven't refueled in two cycles, your circuits will soon begin to complain, the emptiness will bit you from inside and you will be devoured by the worst of the pains. Do you have any idea of what starving really is, you idiot?"

"No, but certainly you do, don't you Megatron? You were some vulgar gladiator after all, a plebeian… a second class Cybertronian."

The severe face of Megatron reflected the depth of the insult. Every Decepticon knew the low social origins of their leader must not be mentioned under any circumstance. But once again, Megatron contained his anger.

"Indeed," Megatron coldly said, "hunger didn't exist to spoiled sparklings like you. It will be a good addition to your life experience, Starscream, if you survive it. Be careful; I may not allow you to refuel once you beg for my mercy."

"Hunger will be definitely more merciful than you."

"You said it yourself. Enjoy your caprice, then," Megatron said as he turned his back to Starscream and started to walk toward the exit.

"Megatron…"

The Decepticon leader stopped.

"Would you be so kind and replace the door you so bravely destroyed? As you can see at your left, I took some precautions ordering new doors to be built."

Megatron didn't reply and abandoned the room. Starscream fell heavily on his chair, his spark beating painfully inside his chest. He was more determined than ever to make his plan successful. Having survived the recent encounter with Megatron was his first announce of victory.

_To be continued._

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_Update coming soon. Please let me know your opinions :o)_


	5. Chapter 5

_I had forgotten to mention it, but fortunately a review made me realize. There is an obvious reference to the G1 episode "Microbots", in which the Decepticons get very over energized and Thundercracker collapses after drinking from his cube. His line was classic and I decided to include it in this chapter. Thanks for reminding me, SUPERNICH!_

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**Chapter 5**

Thundercracker slid as carefully as he could into the big dark zone of the bulkhead, trying to mimic the inert metal.

Heavy footsteps approached, and soon Long Haul and Bonecrusher walked beside him. In contrast with his agility in the air, the blue Seeker wasn't the best suited to stealth missions on the ground, as the glances both Constructicons addressed him with confirmed.

"He's drunk again," he heard Long Haul whispering to his teammate.

_Again?_

Bonecrusher shook his head with contempt. "I'm surprised he is still on his feet…"

Enraged indignation filled Thundercracker's spark as his hands became fists, ready to make Constructicon lubricant flow.

However, his current speed could barely have competed against a maintenance drone. When Thundercracker managed to raise a threatening arm, Long Haul and Bonecrusher had already disappeared through the corridor.

_Drunk…_

Alright… after a friendly but violent fight with Skywarp, Thundercracker had finally accepted a high grade energon cube, from which he had drunk almost half. To a normal Cybertronian, such amount wouldn't have meant more than a slight raise of structure temperature, but to Thundercracker it represented authentic inebriation.

Nevertheless, it wasn't enough to actually call him drunk. Life could be very unfair. One single time, just one, in which he had abused high grade energon had been enough for all his comrades in arms to consider him the living example of drunkenness. How they dared to do it when they spent practically the entirety of their spare time totally lost in the oblivion that high grade provided, was an absurd enigma. Prejudices were so contradictory.

Not giving a slag for discretion anymore, Thundercracker abandoned the relative security of the bulkhead and continued looking for a certain erratic wingmate.

His internal chronometer confirmed that it was already two breems since an excessively over-energized Skywarp had decided it would be a brilliant idea to use his teleporting abilities to surprise his comrades in what he had defined himself as their "private moments." It was just a matter of time before Skywarp appeared shredded to pieces in any of the many disposal units of the base.

Cursing himself for not letting his friend deal with his stupidities on his own, Thundercracker tried again to communicate with him. But, just as it had happened the previous ten times, he was welcomed by the indifferent hiss of static. Damn Skywarp must had turned off his com link, or perhaps he was embed in a wall as a result of some miscalculation in one of his dimensional jumps.

Whatever it was, Thundercracker couldn't stand it anymore. His circuits were too numb. All that he wanted in that moment was to enter recharge mode and forget for a millennium or two about the existence of high grade energon.

But mysteries exist in the Universe, strange paths that break any scientifically proven law. Thundercracker was the involuntary guinea pig in one of those unexplainable events when the irate voice of Megatron cut his drunkenness in an astro klik.

Fortunately, his abrupt return to the world of coordinated senses allowed him to realize the fury of his leader was not directed toward him.

At the end of an adjacent corridor, Megatron was screaming a colorful variation of Cybertronian insults to a fallen Skywarp.

It was impossible to know if the black Seeker had ended up on the floor by himself or if he had been sent there courtesy of Megatron's fist. However, the intact condition of Skywarp's structure announced that violence was not playing a primary role in that word exchange.

Though to call it an exchange was too much. Megatron yelled and Skywarp listened. Finally, after spitting a last pair of coarse words that insulted all of the jet's ancestors, Megatron roughly lifted him up by one of his wings and crashed him against the wall, telling him to pull himself together.

Skywarp made a clumsy military salute before falling back to the floor. Megatron seemed to suppress a sudden desire to unleash on him the entire charge of his fusion cannon and walked away, each one of his steps announcing his boiling bad mood.

Fortunately for Thundercracker, his leader's anger blinded him and he didn't notice the presence of the motionless blue Seeker that had managed to become an extension of the wall.

Once he was certain Megatron had left, Thundercracker approached Skywarp, divided between the desire to kick him or helping him to get up.

The second thought won the battle, although by a very small margin. However, Thundercracker was quite rude when he grabbed the shivering arm of his wingmate.

"Hey, TC… thank the Pit you arrived… I don't remember where my quarters are…" Skywarp muttered.

Thundercracker frowned as he allowed Skywarp to awkwardly lean on him. Never in his life had he seen a mechanoid as inebriated as that one. And was he, Thundercracker, the one who had to carry the burden of the drunkest Decepticon alive? Once again fame showed itself as cruel and totally unjustified.

"You are a disaster, Warp… I could take you straight into the Ark and you wouldn't notice. Don't you realize the condition you are in?"

"Naaaahh… I'm just a little cheerful, that's all…"

"Cheerful?! You are above over-energized! I'm surprised your systems are still functioning. They should have shut down by now. Did you drink Starscream's entire stock in a single row?"

"Just thirteen cubes…"

"You slagging freak!" Thundercracker spat as he violently shook his friend.

"Hey, don't do that! I'm already flying…"

"I can see that."

"Don't be a killjoy, TC. I still have some cubes left… Want a couple?"

"I had enough high grade for today, thank you very much."

"You always say the same slag… like that time in which you fainted after drinking one single cube, do you remember? What was that funny thing you said…? Oh, right! _This stuff is the greatest…"_ laughed Skywarp, mimicking amazingly well the low pitched voice of his wingmate.

Thundercracker's optics narrowed with authentic Decepticon fury. "Why in the slagged Pit can't anybody forget that fragging incident?!"

"Because it was amusing, perhaps…"

"As amusing as this?" Thundercracker asked as he released his grip on Skywarp, who obviously wasn't able to stand by himself and was supporting all his weight on his wingmate. His return to the floor was clamorous, his afterburners receiving most of the pain.

"Slag you, TC! That hurt! I won't be able to sit for an entire vorn, I swear it! I hate your slagging sense of humour!" the black Seeker complained as he rubbed his sore aft.

"You better than anybody else should know that I have no such thing as a sense of humour!" Thundercracker yelled, honoring his name and shaking the walls around him with his powerful voice.

"Er… did you just release a sonic boom?" Skywarp asked with a dumb expression on his face.

"No. That was my voice."

"Ah…"

Thundercracker sighed. He knew perfectly well when a battle was lost. Being considerably more careful than the previous time, he raised Skywarp from the floor once again.

"So, Warp… what did Megatron tell you, anyway?"

"Besides my mother being a garbage compactor?"

"Yes."

"Eh… oh yes… he named me Air Commander."

It wasn't physically possible for a living robot, but Thundercracker could have sworn he felt the energon inside of him stop flowing.

He definitely had to pay Starscream a visit.

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Megatron returned to the Command Center. His noisy footsteps reflected not only his contempt for any subtlety but his bad mood also. He let himself fall on his throne and held his face with one hand, an unmistakable signal that once again his patience had collided with Starscream.

Soundwave could perceive perfectly the anger and resentment coming from Megatron's mental waves. Generally, the Decepticon leader kept his processor away from any telepathic intrusion, but his sudden carelessness demonstrated that Starscream had managed to bother him more than usual. The Communications Officer wondered how hard the beating had been this time, and lamented not having being present to record the cries of pain that certainly had came out from the Seeker's vocalizer. They were always music to his audios.

"Remind me why I appointed Starscream my Second in Command, Soundwave," Megatron said.

"You lost a bet," was the monotonic response.

"True… but remind me why I kept him in that position instead of turning him into a decoration on my wall."

"Explanations were never given. Logic: invalid."

"Save me your theories, would you? I must have been too over-energized that day."

"Possibility considered."

Megatron opened and clenched his fists in frustration.

"This is a joke… a slagging joke. First my Second in Command decides to play the pacifist, and now the Air Commander of my army is a drunken idiot that can't even remember his own name. What's next? You changing your alt mode for a microwave oven?"

"Sarcasm not appreciated."

"Never mind. What do I need a conscience for if I have you?"

"Concept of conscience unacceptable for cybernetic organisms."

"Soundwave, I warn you… I'm not in the mood."

Soundwave's optical visor shone fleetingly. Those who knew him beyond his stoic façade would have recognized in that shine some sort of sigh.

"What did he do this time?" he asked, leaving behind the rigid protocol in which he always addressed Megatron.

Megatron glanced at Soundwave, grateful. Even though his cold Third in Command barely manifested any emotion, it seemed that he knew the exact moment in which his leader needed something more than blind obedience.

"A hunger strike! The slagger started a hunger strike!"

Soundwave remained silent, rapidly analyzing the meaning of the words he just had heard, non-existent in Cybertronian history.

Megatron brusquely got up from his throne and started to pace frenetically through the Command Center.

"Starscream is a child!" he screamed. "This has to be the most stupid idea he has had in all his life! But just what is his problem?! Does his cerebro-circuits understand maturity as a process of recoiling?"

"Suggestion: ignore his caprice."

"But of course I will ignore it! Such childish behaviour has only one purpose: to expose me as an irrational and brutal leader, unable to solve problems through another way but violence. Am I an irrational leader, Soundwave?"

"37.53 percent of the time."

"We will talk about your honesty some other time. Now tell me, which… no… _who_ has caused such percentage?"

"Starscream: 21.95%. Remaining 15.58%: the Autobots."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about! What do I need Optimus Prime for if I have Starscream?! It's like having my worst enemy beside me all the time!"

"Reasoning: understandable."

"He's trying to attempt against my sanity, that's what he's doing… But he is more foolish than I thought if he believes I don't realize it. He is completely mistaken if he thinks he is going to break me with his stupid trifles."

"Requested course of action?"

Megatron approached his throne again and sat down. His face was much more calmed and his optics were emitting scarlet, malevolent glimmers.

"None, for the moment. I will allow Starscream to play his hunger strike game. Eventually he will come to me, dragging and humiliating himself, begging for my forgiveness. Until then, make sure he doesn't refuel under any circumstance."

"Starscream's pride is big. Possibility of it not being a trick should be considered," intoned Soundwave.

"We'll see what happens after a couple of solar cycles. I have to admit I'm interested to see how far he can go with this. We will witness what will be stronger: his arrogance or his hunger."

"Logic dictates his will-power will collapse."

"I have the same opinion, Soundwave. In the meantime, enter into the data bank of the Empire the nomination of Skywarp as the new Aerospace Commander, and yours as my Second in Command."

His new rank, even though temporary, disturbed Soundwave. As every Decepticon, he was ambitious, but he also knew that the rank of Sub-commander held a curse, a condemnation that had nothing to do with superstitious beliefs. Being dragged from the comfort zone that the Third in Command position provided put him under a very tricky spotlight.

Uncertainty was logic's worst enemy.

_To be continued._

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_It's hard to write about hunger strikes after I gained almost two kilos, victim of all the dinners and extra snacks that come with these holidays… But heh, I did my best._

_I hope you all had a very happy Christmas and are enjoying the last days of the year. More fatty dinners to come! Yay!_

_As always, all your comments are highly appreciated :o) Thanks for your support!_

_Many hugs to my sis iratepirate for beta reading.  
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	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Thundercracker wasn't surprised when he saw a huge smoking hole in the place where the large door of Starscream's personal quarters should have been.

What was surprising was to find his Air Commander functional and in one piece. Thundercracker had expected to encounter a much more normal view according to the current circumstances: Starscream lying on the floor, perhaps an arm missing, pieces of his cockpit spread around…

But no. Despite what Megatron's bad mood and the bizarre promotion of Skywarp to Air Commander had announced, Starscream was comfortably lying on his recharge berth, both arms behind his head and one leg folded over the other one. The red and silver Seeker seemed to be in perfect functional condition, as his intact structure proved.

"Ah, Thundercracker! You will find this difficult to believe, but I'm glad to see you," Starscream said as soon as he saw the figure of his wingmate emerge from the black smoke.

Thundercracker didn't reply, still astonished by the contradiction between his smirking comrade and the disaster that was his personal quarters. Besides the door, almost an entire wall had been destroyed. By Megatron's fusion cannon, of course.

"Be a good wingmate and help me with that, would you?" Starscream continued, pointing toward a pile of doors that were leaning on a wall.

Thundercracker recovered from his amazement and folded his arms across his chest, fixating on Starscream one of his most severe glares.

"Why should I?" he said. "According to what I heard, you are not my superior officer anymore."

Starscream smirked. "True, but that doesn't erase thousands of vorns of friendship, now does it?"

"Ha! If there is something I learned from you during those thousands of vorns, it's that your name and the term _friendship_ never mix."

Starscream's face became even more evil. "Life has many turns, _friend. _And if you have the minimal intelligence I always thought you had, you will know that, as illogical as my current situation may seem, it's only temporary. Soon I will not only recover my rank, but will reach the peak as well. If you know what's good for you, you will keep your loyalties with me."

"Is that so? And what will be my reward? Are you going to fill me with high grade as you did with Warp? I don't sell myself for energon cubes, Starscream. You should know that."

Starscream laughed. "That you don't sell yourself for energon, you say? But of course not! Everybody knows that even a sparkling tolerates more high grade than you! It takes half a cube for you to kiss the floor, literally… Do you remember that time in which you got over energized and you thought that pink human vehicle was a femme? It was very difficult to keep you from interfacing with it. We should have let you try, just as Skywarp suggested. Sometimes I hate myself for trying so hard to keep my wingmates away from self-embarrassment. You were so lucky nobody else witnessed your brilliant momentum."

"I don't know what you are talking about…" Thundercracker muttered, almost to himself.

"Of course you do, don't play the fool with me! Even though you are such a boring slag pile, I can't deny you are also involuntarily amusing sometimes. As for your loyalty, my dear former subordinate, it's simply non-existent. It is no secret that you are soft, a weak pusillanimous that doesn't believe in our glorious Decepticon cause. In fact, I'm amongst the ones who deeply believe you are nothing more than a potential deserter… an Autobot in disguise."

"H-how dare you…?"

Starscream silenced the blue Seeker with a firm wave of his hand. "But your lack of conviction doesn't have the slightest importance at the moment. There are other priorities."

"Such as…?" Thundercracker cautiously asked.

"Such as you replacing my door."

"What?"

"Are your audios malfunctioning? Replace my door now!! If your optics function better than your audio sensors, you will see five doors to your right…"

"What the slag is this all about?"

"I sincerely hope you won't make me repeat myself."

Thundercracker dimmed his optics and suspiciously glanced toward the mentioned doors. His chest rose in what seemed to be a sigh and he walked toward a chair that had been knocked down close to Starscream's recharge berth. With amazing patience, the blue Seeker reached the chair, placed it in its correct position and took a seat.

"Alright, Starscream… time to talk straight. We have never liked each other, but I like to believe that sometimes we have had some sort of respect between us."

"Respect? I wouldn't say so. Your apathy bores me to the core, and honestly I prefer not to waste more words with you than necessary."

"Whatever. My point is that if you expect me to replace your door, when I have no obligation to do it whatsoever, you better start to be honest with me, as impossible as you may find it."

Starscream pushed himself upward and sat on his recharge berth, his optics leveled with Thundercracker's.

"What do you want to know?" the red Seeker simply asked.

"What is this hunger strike nonsense all about?"

Starscream burst out in laughter, making Thundercracker's facial features grow even more severe.

"Gossips travel faster than light, I can see…" he managed to say between guffaws. "I notified Megatron about my hunger strike not even a breem ago, and now the entire base knows. I'm not surprised, nevertheless."

"Walls are very able to listen in this place, you should know that. But you haven't answered my question yet."

"There is no nonsense, I assure you," Starscream continued once he stopped laughing. "Very few times in my life have I been so serious about something."

"And were can seriousness be found in voluntarily depriving oneself of energon?"

"As I thought, your reasoning patterns can not reach farther than your nosecone. Just like Megatron, you lack of imagination. Being you must be so boring."

Thundercracker frowned. For the first time during the conversation, his facial features reflected latent aggression.

"And it must be very amusing being yourself, mustn't it Starscream? Getting up from recharge mode one day with some idiotic plan to overthrow Megatron, and then waking with the sudden idea of letting your fuel tanks empty the next."

Starscream shrugged his shoulders. "I must admit that yes, it is very entertaining."

Thundercracker suddenly got up, sending his chair back to the floor with the roughness of his movement.

"Do you ever take anything seriously?! Do you even imagine what starvation really is, you idiot?"

"And what do you care? Since when I'm part of your list of preoccupations?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Starscream. It's not you that worries me, but the consequences of your silly little game."

Starscream burst out in laughter again. "Thundercracker, the loyal Decepticon! That was a good one! So, does the fate of our glorious faction now concern you?"

"What is nothing more than a game for you, can unleash chaos in here. Don't you realize it?"

"Of course I realize it! That's why I'm on this hunger strike, you fool. Although I admit I'm surprised by your sudden ability to see beyond your ineptitude, I warn you of something: either you support me, or you get the slag out of here. Your rambling is beginning to tire me."

Thundercracker leaned on Starscream's computer console and folded his arms, smirking. "Tire you, huh? Are you saying that literally? When was the last time you refueled?"

Starscream shrugged his shoulders. "What do you care?"

"I would dare to say that it's been at least two solar cycles since the last time you tasted one drop of energon, or am I mistaken? What is it like, Starscream? Are you beginning to feel tired?"

"Of you? All the time."

Thundercracker shook his head. "You may believe you can fool everybody with your fake security, but I have been your wingmate since we were cadets at the War Academy and I know perfectly well the kind of deceitful petro rat you are."

"Why don't you go and shove yourself up your afterburners?"

"Oh, I will… but before I do, answer me something: Do you feel it already? The hunger… How does it feel?"

Starscream coldly analyzed Thundercracker's face before replying.

"So this is it… the dark side of the always straight Thundercracker. I take back what I said. Maybe you are a Decepticon after all. Now more than ever you should consider where to place your loyalties."

"Let me guess… on you, isn't it?"

"That's what any moderately intelligent mechanoid would do."

Thundercracker walked toward the piled doors and grabbed one.

"I'll tell you what this moderately intelligent mechanoid will do, Starscream. I'm going to install this door as you requested, and I will do it not because you want me to, but because it will be the only thing I will do for you as long as your… hunger strike lasts. Don't forget that officially you are not my superior officer anymore, which means that I can come back anytime I want and make you swallow so much energon that you will start to erupt it through your air intakes. And trust me, I will, if I see that your stupidity will put your wingmates in any danger."

"So that's what all this is all about?"

"Does it surprise you? You said it yourself, Starscream. I am a Decepticon. My own survival is my priority, and also my friends'. You, of course, are not part of that reduced list."

Starscream got up and walked toward Thundercracker. Despite the fact that the former Air Commander's energy readings were starting to give a negative balance, Thundercracker felt like cringing when both stared face to face.

"Excuse me if I don't grieve for not being part of your select group of friends. Would you believe me if I told you that I have no affection for you whatsoever? Now listen to me Thundercracker, and listen well: indeed I'm not ignorant of the implications that my hunger strike can have, but extreme measures are needed under certain circumstances, and said measures are the ones that win wars in the end. I have never been the most loyal wingmate, and I assure you I don't plan to start right now. If you or Skywarp pay the consequences, so be it. It will only confirm my theory that you two are weaklings unable to defend yourselves. Of course, I have another theory about your current attitude."

"Oh, really? And what would that be?" Thundercracker retorted.

Starscream's smirk was more than evil when he spoke again. "You talk about loyalty and seriousness, when you are nothing more than a joke yourself. Are you familiarized with jealousy, perhaps? Would you be here lecturing me if it had been you that was promoted to Air Commander instead of Skywarp?"

"How do you know Megatron named Warp…?"

"Nothing happens here that I don't know about. Now answer my question!"

Thundercracker stared at Starscream with a strange hatred reflected on his features, but somehow the blue Seeker managed to control his desires to shoot his venomous ex superior officer.

"You are more twisted than I thought if you think we all are egomaniacal psychopaths like you, Starscream," he finally said.

"Perhaps… but I gave you something to think about, didn't I? You will tell me if my hunger strike was stupid or not. But seeing where your so-called loyalties are, I can assure you will never taste the pleasures of power. What a waste."

Thundercracker tightened his grip on the door he was carrying and took it toward the big hole in the entrance. He began to weld it in silence, fighting the mayhem Megatron's blast had caused.

"That looks like slag," Starscream said as he lay prostrated on his recharge berth again. He needed to conserve energy and staying on his feet was a bad idea for the matter.

"I'm not a master engineer, you know?" Thundercracker growled.

"I can see."

The blue Seeker finished his job and dusted off his hands. "Done… It will open with some difficulty, but it will work… at least until Megatron blasts it again, of course."

"That is the least of my concerns. As you can see, I'm not scarce of replacements."

Thundercracker shook his head in annoyance and proceeded to test the new door's mechanisms with his own exit. Before moving out, he directed a rancorous glance backward.

"I must admit you give pacifism a unique style, Starscream… We'll see how far you can get with this."

"As far as I want… exactly as far as I want."

Thundercracker left and the door closed behind him. Starscream's smirk increased. It had taken different levels of difficulty, but he had managed to control his two wingmates despite not having any official authority over them anymore.

It was time to keep moving his pieces. Certainly, chess was such a fascinating game.

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It wasn't rare for Megatron to discuss his plans with Soundwave. It wasn't rare either for Soundwave to limit his comments to the minimum during those meetings, pointing out once in a while possible miscalculations.

It wasn't rare.

What was more than rare, however, was the uncommon discomfort Megatron was feeling, that absence he could feel attached to his back as he suspiciously glanced at his new Second in Command.

Normally, Soundwave wouldn't have bothered his leader with matters other than the ones concerning the mission they were discussing, but the current situation was more serious than it seemed, so breaking the protocol was a logical choice.

"Can I be of assistance, Lord Megatron?" he intoned.

Megatron's optics blinked, returning him back to reality. The Decepticon leader was surprised when he realized what he was expecting. However, he wasn't going to leave his curiosity unsatisfied.

"What do you think of the strategy, Soundwave?" he cautiously asked.

"78.32 percent rate of success."

"That's not what I asked."

Soundwave remained motionless. The reigning calm around him was not tranquilizing.

Megatron got up from his chair and started to pace through the War Room.

"What I mean is if you find any mistake… something that you could… criticize."

An uncomfortable chill traveled through Soundwave's inner circuitry. The storm was beginning sooner he had thought.

"Negative, Megatron," he replied. Even though his monotonic voice always sounded neutral to others, for the first time in vorns Soundwave really made an effort to maintain its lack of emotion.

"Are you sure? A minimal failure, perhaps? Something I neglected?"

"Negative."

"Perhaps you are going to say I have slag for cerebro-circuits!" Megatron dangerously continued.

"Negative."

"I see…"

Megatron forced himself to remain calm. He was aware of how sick his expectations were, and he had to dominate them. He had had so many millennia with a certain treacherous presence at his back that suddenly not having it was disturbing.

But wasn't that better, not having to worry about an always-insulting screechy voice, permanently challenging his authority?

Yes, it was better, it had to be.

Then why did everything feel so suddenly… empty?

Very few times had Megatron felt really disgusted with himself. He had to eradicate insignificant thoughts, otherwise he would be admitting Starscream had been right, and that was _not_ going to happen.

Anything that guaranteed the better functioning of his army was welcomed. He would make it work.

As he tried to return all his attention to the incoming mission, Megatron couldn't help but realize just how much he really despised peace, almost as much he despised his former Second in Command.

_To be continued._

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_Sorry for taking some time to update this one, but I was attacked by that hideous blank page syndrom concerning this specific part of the story. Fortunately it seems that the problem has been erradicated :o) Thanks to my buddy iratepirate for the betaining._

_I hope you liked the chapter, and I hope you all saw the ROTF trailer during the Superbowl. OMG!! Am I the only one who wants to freeze herself until June? The waiting will be excruciating!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey everybody, sorry for taking some time to update this, but I have others fics in progress and not as much as __free time as I would like to. I'm also debating wheter or not to post a couple of new stories I came into recently, or finish before at least one of my fics in progress… Ah, the eternal quarrels of writing fanfiction._

_Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this chapter. Many hugs to all the people who is reading and reviewing. And many hugs to my sis iratepirate for beta reading. _

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**Chapter 7**

Diffused silhouettes peeked through the shadows only to disappear an astro click later. Two small figures made their way through the obscure corridors of the Nemesis base, making use of all the stealth they were capable of.

Although concerning the definition of stealth, opinions couldn't be more diverse, especially for Rumble and Frenzy, who thought it meant nothing more than suspiciously glancing around at every corner and bulkhead, no matter the scandal of their footsteps or the echo of their voices.

Fortunately for them, there was nobody close to listen to their guffaws, and even if there had been, no attention would have been granted to them. Every Decepticon knew that the twins were synonymous of trouble, and unless such Decepticon was willing to support the punishment of additional shifts or deal with the cold rage of a certain Communications Officer, it was better to leave them alone. Not doing so meant having a serious issue with Soundwave, who had never been tolerant with physical abuse against his precious creations, although he conveniently ignored all the damage they caused to others.

"Give it to me, aft head! You are gonna break it," Frenzy said.

"You are the more careless of us both. Keep your dirty claws away," Rumble replied, punching his brother's hand, who was trying to deprive him of the object he was carrying.

"I told ya to give it to me!" Frenzy insisted, violently pushing his twin.

Rumble responded the same way, and soon both Cassetticons were involved in one more of their constant sibling fights, which finished when they suddenly hit a closed door. It was a miracle that the object of the quarrel remained intact.

"Hey, Screamer, it's us. Open up, would ya?" Rumble said.

Frenzy cheerfully elbowed his twin. "Say the password, the password!"

Rumble giggled and addressed the com link beside the door. "Starscream overloads with catalogues of human lingerie!"

The door hissed open and both Cassetticons went in, dragging what they were carrying behind.

"Password?" Starscream complained from his recharge berth. "I never gave you runts any password!"

"We know," Rumble said. "That was our idea."

"You are so funny," was the ironic remark. "And you are also more than four breems late. Why doesn't it surprise me? I hope, at least, that you have what I requested."

"We do, just as you wanted it," Rumble confirmed.

"Did anybody see you?"

Frenzy shook his head. "Nope, and even if they did, I don't think anybody would have given a damn, ya know?"

"True," Rumble seconded. "What kind of lunatic would want some piece of human textile?"

"Screamer does."

"Oh, yeah…"

"Would you two shut up? Just stretch it out and fix it up outside."

"Wait a sec, Screamer. We want our payment first," Rumble said.

"Yeah, if you want errand boys to order around, you pay us. You aren't our superior officer anymore, remember?"

Starscream grimaced but lifted his arm and pointed toward a table nearby. "You will find the disk there."

Frenzy happily headed toward the table and picked up a small data disk.

"Try it," Rumble told him.

Frenzy introduced it in his data port and nodded. "Oooooh yeaaaah… it's all here…"

"Just remember: you didn't get that from me. I don't want to have problems with Soundwave because he found out I gave an entire disk of hardcore mech porn to his most immature runts."

"Don't blow a gasket. If he finds out, we will tell him we stole it from Swindle," Rumble said as he tried to snatch the disk from his brother.

"Fine. I fulfilled my part of the deal. Now it's your turn."

"You got it, Screamer."

Both Cassetticons extended the huge piece of white fabric and managed to mount it on a thin metallic tube, despite the fact that it was much bigger than them.

"Done," Rumble said. "Where do you want it?"

"Outside my quarters, of course," Starscream replied. "Not too close to the door, nevertheless. I expect unwelcomed visitors during the next few solar cycles."

"Why the slag do you want a white flag, by the way?" Frenzy asked.

"Yeah, it's quite a stupid human habit," Rumble added.

"I could try to explain it to you dwarfs, but I doubt your dumb processors would be able to understand. It's enough for you to know that is a symbol the humans use for peace."

"Peace?!" Rumble cackled. "What's next, Screamer? Are you going to paint an Autobot insignia on your aft?"

"You will keep your stupid comments to yourself, Rumble, and stop calling me nicknames! It's true that I haven't refueled lately, but I'm more than capable of to trespassing my door with your head."

"Whatever you say."

"What about the other insignificant task I assigned you? I hope, for your own welfare, that you fulfilled it."

"Relax, Starscream, it was the first thing we did," Frenzy said.

Rumble nodded. "Yeah, although I don't understand why you wanted us to tell Skywarp all that crap. He almost blew our heads off, ya know? I don't think he liked it when we told him he was a joke of Air Commander."

"Things got worse when we told him the aft of a Sharkticon inspired more respect than him."

"Perfect," Starscream said to himself. "I don't expect him to react immediately but he will have something to think about, just as Thundercracker. As for my former Conehead subordinates, they are nothing more than pawns."

"Huh… Screamer? Are you sure the lack of energon is not driving you insane, I mean, even more than normal?" Rumble asked, scratching his head.

"I won't waste more time talking with you two micro-brained morons. Did you finish?"

"Er, yeah," Frenzy said, looking at the big white flag that was already undulating outside the personal quarters of the former Decepticon Second in Command.

Starscream got up and calmly walked toward the open door.

"Not bad," he approved. "It looks quite… pacifist."

"I would say ridiculous," Rumble said. "But anyway… is there something else we can do for ya?"

"Not for the moment. If I have more errands for you I will let you know. Now get the slag out of my sight. And remember, you will keep me informed of everything that happens inside the base."

"With pleasure, as long as you pay us in return. Come on, Frenz, I wanna be the first in taking a look at the contents of that disk."

"Not before I do, glitch head!"

"Ah, what the slag... let's watch it together."

Both Cassetticons disappeared at the end of the corridor. Starscream stood alone, admiring the white flag outside.

He smirked, certain that he would give peace a new meaning.

He turned around and walked back to his recharge berth. But he had barely taken a couple of steps when a sudden dizzy spell made him stop. He couldn't avoid one of his knees from hitting the floor.

He grabbed his head, worried. What the slag had that been? His systems just had a small failure, making him lose his equilibrium. But it had only been two cycles since he stopped refueling… How was it possible? He hadn't thought his body would start to show signals of a lack of energon so soon…

Starscream shook his head and got up. He continued his way toward his recharge berth, with extreme precaution.

The race was beginning to get dangerous, but he wouldn't abandon it. He would crash pacifism against Megatron's face, even if it was the last thing he would do in his life.

And he had a big white flag outside his quarters to prove it.

-------------------

Late shifts could be very exhausting, especially for a Seeker separated from his trine. And if said Seeker had the misfortune to find an Autobot patrol during his reconnaissance flight, and if said Autobots happened to think it was funny to practice their aim against a lonely Decepticon, then late shifts definitely sucked.

_Accursed Autobot twins... _Dirge thought as he collapsed on his recharge berth, finally allowing himself the luxury of relaxation inside the privacy of the quarters he shared with Thrust and Ramjet. It was the beginning of the solar cycle according to terrestrial time zones, but Soundwave had authorized him fifteen breems of recharge and he was going to make good use of every astro second.

One by one, Dirge's circuits began to disconnect, giving immediate relief to the dents that his unfortunate encounter with Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had caused him. His auto repair circuits began their meticulous work. The wounds were not deep and certainly would be fixed when the Conehead came back on line.

Dirge was beginning to submerge into the peaceful universe of recharge mode when he heard the door opening. Despite the fact that his optics were already off, he could feel the annoying light of the exterior corridor falling on his face.

"Ramjet… leave…" Dirge stammered with weak voice. He really needed to recharge, and the last thing he wanted at that moment was to engage in a fist exchange with his bothersome wingmate, who loved to randomly pick fights.

The answer didn't come in the shape of words. The unmistakable sound of the illumination system turning on at full capacity made Dirge half activate his optics.

"Ramjet, I already told you…"

"I'm not Ramjet, you idiot. Get your lazy aft out of that recharge berth, now!"

Dirge fully activated his optics, staring confused at Skywarp, who was standing at the threshold of the door, staring gluttonously at the broad personal quarters of the Coneheads.

"Skywarp, but what the slag…?"

"Coordinate your audio sensors with your processor and get up. Can't you hear me or what?"

Dirge sat on the berth, still weakened but allowing his increasing anger to activate all his systems.

"What the frag do you think you are doing here?!" he cried.

Skywarp smirked. "Simple. Confiscating my new acquisition."

"Your new what?"

"Stop repeating everything I say, cone face! I am confiscating your quarters. Am I not clear enough?"

Dirge brusquely got up, forgetting everything about his formerly desired recharge mode. "You must be more over energized than usual, you idiot, if you think you can come in here and talk nonsense! Get out! This is private property!"

"Careful, Dirge, be very careful. You will address your new Air Commander with the proper respect. I can initiate a court martial against you for less than this."

"But what the…?"

Skywarp placed himself under the most shinning light and proudly folded his arms across his chest, displaying his superiority.

"I assume you have been informed that Megatron promoted me."

"I heard something about it, yes… But you should know it is only temporary. When Starscream gets over his pacifist complex, you are done."

"We'll see about that... I'm the new Air Commander and that makes you my subordinate, so obey my orders! You have a breem to take out all your possessions, or you can look for them later in the disposal units, if you prefer."

"You can't kick me out of my own quarters!" Dirge complained.

"Correction: I can. The rest of your trine has already been informed. Now get your ugly aft out of here, Dirge. You are contaminating my new rec room with your presence."

Dirge narrowed his optics, fixating on Skywarp his most aggressive stare. "You are doing this only to bother me, aren't you?"

Skywarp burst out in laughter. "Don't give yourself so much importance, cone face."

"Then why the slag don't you build your rec room or whatever someplace else? There are hundreds of empty rooms in the base."

"Yes, but I like this one; it's the perfect spot to fulfill my needs. You are right, though; there are plenty of free spaces in the Nemesis, more than enough for you and your Conehead friends to find new accommodations. Did I make myself clear, Dirge?"

Dirge's fists shivered with rage. He wanted so much to introduce his concussion missiles up Skywarp's afterburners… but the situation was against him, and as with every occasion in which he wasn't in absolute control, the Conehead decided to give up.

"Yes…" he grumbled.

"Yes what?"

"Yes… sir."

"Much better. Now out!"

Dirge headed toward the exit and almost crashed against Thrust, who was carrying a pile of metallic containers. For the extreme effort the red Conehead was making, his charge seemed very heavy.

"It's about time, Thrust," Skywarp complained. "Put them there and begin to dismantle this place."

"What is all that junk?" Dirge asked.

"Let's see," Skywarp replied. "My new light and sound system, my basketrek court, my collection of mech porn…"

"Wait! Did Megatron name you Air Commander or Supreme Ruler of the Universe? You can't just come in here and treat us like your slagging slaves!"

"I have new for you Dirge: yes, I can. And you should be grateful, you idiot. The only reason why you are not helping your wingmates right now is because Soundwave authorized you those fifteen breems of recharge. But when they are over, I want your loathsome aft back. I want you to personally weld my basketrek court, got it?"

Dirge was about to reply when Ramjet came in, carrying a tray of energon cubes.

"Oh, but this is the last straw!" Dirge shouted. "You too, Ramjet? Serving this buffoon? You should be delivering him his aft on that tray!"

Ramjet shrugged his shoulders. Normally he took the role of Conehead leader, but in that moment he simply seemed not to care.

"What's next, your Highness?" Dirge ironically continued, addressing Skywarp again.

"Now that you mention it, my despicable subordinate, I think it's among my attributions to suspend your undeserved period of recharge. New orders, Dirge: use the space bridge, go to Cybertron and get me three… no… better five femmes."

"And where do you expect me to find them?"

"Use your imagination. Go to Kaon, there are plenty of pleasure houses there."

"You know perfectly well that Megatron doesn't allow unauthorized use of the space bridge."

"That's not my problem. Now go and fulfill my command!"

Dirge shook his head and headed toward the exit again, almost crashing against Thundercracker this time.

"Ah, TC, you arrive just in time," Skywarp greeted his friend.

"Why, Warp? Are you going to assign me slave labours as well?"

The new Air Commander laughed. "Not for the moment. Cheer yourself up. We will finally have a decent rec room."

Thundercracker grabbed Skywarp's arm and dragged him toward a corner, while Thrust and Ramjet unloaded the contents of the containers.

"You know you actually can't do this, don't you Warp? Your… _orders_ don't have anything to do with our military protocol."

"So? I'm the Air Commander. I can do whatever I want with the Aerial Elite."

"Starscream never made us redecorate his personal quarters, as far as I remember."

"Screamer is out of commission, alright? Slag it… It almost seems like you miss him, TC."

"The only thing I miss is some sort of organization. Are we warriors or buffoons?"

"Relax. What's wrong with some diversions?"

"Shouldn't you be planning some flight strategy instead of wasting your time? I heard Megatron had an important energy raid in sight."

Skywarp stared suspiciously at his wingmate. "Yes… I see it now… You still haven't overcome the fact that Megatron named me Air Commander and not you."

"Don't talk nonsense. I have heard that stupidity twice today."

"Maybe because it's the truth. I was naïve enough to think you would actually be happy for me, TC…"

"Come on, Warp! This is a charade and you perfectly know it. Megatron is playing Starscream's game hitting him where it hurts the most: his pride. How much longer do you think Starscream will remain calm as he is stripped from his rank and privileges? I recommend you not to get too comfortable with your new position, because your days as an officer of the Decepticon High Command are counted. Starscream will be back to treat us like cosmic rust before you realize what is happening."

"I wouldn't be sure of that. Starscream seems very comfortable playing the pacifist and I will make sure he will remain that way. Now that I have the power I don't plan to let it go."

"What the slag are you planning to do, Warp? It's only been few breems since you were named Air Commander and you are already under the control of some stupid grandeur delirium? What is this? Does power have attached an extra charge of insanity?"

Skywarp moved too fast. Before Thundercracker could react, his black and purple wingmate grabbed his shoulders and pinned him to the wall.

"Now you listen to me, TC! I have wanted to be Air Commander since we were in the War Academy. When I was created I was classified as a defective model, but slag it, I worked hard and became part of Megatron's honorable Aerial Elite. But that was not enough… Now I am the Air Commander of the entire army, and I won't be subordinate again. If Starscream or you get in my way, you will pay for it with the ultimate price. Got it, brother?"

Without waiting for an answer, Skywarp teleported out of the room, as he did every time his patience was shaken.

Thundercracker sighed. Insanity had arrived, and he could see Starscream's wily machinations behind it.

Pacifism was certainly a very dangerous thing.

_To be continued._


	8. Chapter 8

_Surprise, surprise. I bet many of you thought I had given up on this story. I know I haven't updated in ages, but here it is this chapter, most of it written those same ages ago. Many apologies for delaying so much my updates in some of my stories, but really, my schedule insists in being such a glitch._

_Many thanks to iratepirate for her never-ending support and beta read services._

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Megatron was used to pain.

He had embraced it since the very first moment of his creation, had became one with it, whether it came in the shape of gashes and open wounds whilst extracting pure energon from the mines of Cybertron, or amongst the roars of the crowd as he fought for his life in the underground gladiatorial arenas. When the Great Cybertronian War started and battling Autobots became an everyday thing, he had received suffering and inflicted it so many times that it had become the only thing in his life that made sense, the one thing he could acknowledge as natural.

So pain was not the problem. It would never be, no matter how damaged his body was, no matter if his limbs were torn from his frame and life remained attached to him by only the strength of his stubbornness.

Defeat was the cause of his current bitter mood, the admittance of his own failure to overcome adverse and miscalculated conditions, of how once again he had been kept away from his sacred goal of universal domination. Every defeat was a step back, one that he would have to take again only to stand on a line so fragile that made war sometimes look like a never-ending curse.

That was what he would ordinarily have thought if the conditions of the current defeat were, just to say something, _normal. _

But they weren't.

The Autobots had forced his troops to retreat with an ease that had seemed almost laughable, all because of a complete lack of coordination in his so called Elite Aerial Unit. Of course Megatron had considered certain recent changes in his battle formation and had adapted his strategy for the new Air Commander, but logic had refused to act in his favour and there was the result: he was returning to the base defeated, with a serious wound on his chest and with half of his forces in an equally shameful condition.

Perhaps that was the reason why he wasn't spreading his subordinates' remains all over the lift of the launching tower, or maybe his own energy levels were so depleted that he couldn't have focused enough power on even one decent discharge of his fusion canon… Or maybe, just maybe, because the hunch he had had since the very first moment Optimus Prime impacted him with his slagging rifle had changed only to become stronger.

Whatever the reason was, he knew he was being forced to tolerate incompetence – again – and especially the mockery of a certain someone that would certainly be waiting with one of his worst smirks.

Sometimes it sucked to be the Decepticons Supreme Commander.

"Lord Megatron, request: keep your motion functions at a minimum. Increase in the rate of energon loss detected," Soundwave said, holding his leader by the waist even though his own status wasn't optimal.

Megatron growled in response, not caring at all about the short circuit that suddenly shook his frame. Pain was something he could deal with, but not humiliation.

"I don't recall requesting your advice, Soundwave," he growled, getting rid of his lieutenant's assistance. "See that my troops are repaired, as much as they deserve to be melted instead… and make sure to stay out of my way for the rest of the cycle!"

* * *

_5…_

_4…_

_3…_

_2…_

_1…_

BOOM!

_Right on schedule… _Starscream barely blinked as Megatron stomped into the room after the twisted piece of melted metal that had previously been a door fell to the floor.

"Perfect timing, leader," Starscream sneered, looking with satisfaction at the big wound decorating Megatron's chest. "You never disappoint concerning your brutish, predictably violent entrances."

"Spare me the cheap irony, you fool!" Megatron roared as he advanced toward his target. Starscream repressed the urge to step back – not to mention fly the slag away from there – as Megatron reached him and backhanded him across the face so hard that it sent him spiraling backwards. Starscream ended his journey by crashing against the wall, landing on his back with one of his legs hanging unceremoniously over his face.

"Ggg… I take it… your energy raid was a failure…" Starscream said, protecting his head with his hands and preparing himself mentally to receive the beating of his life. _No pain, no gain, no pain…_

And there was no pain, at least for the moment. "Your assumption is correct," Megatron spat, advancing toward Starscream's computer and starting to push buttons. "It was as if the Autobots knew everything about the raid and were waiting for us."

"Are you suggesting there was an information leak? How unfortunate… or a poor excuse to justify your failure."

"Not so unfortunate for you, considering that I'm sure that the leak came from your computer and that it was you who sent the information to the Autobots!" Megatron roared, punching the console too hard and opening a hole the size of his fist that started to spark immediately.

Starscream sat calmly on the floor and rubbed his cheek. "You don't have any proof of that, and now even less after what you have done… Slag, I should have made replacements for my computer console as well."

"You should have ordered replacements for your spark instead, because you are walking on a very dangerous line, Starscream."

"You always say that," Starscream said, not daring to move when he saw Megatron reach out for a chair and sat in front of him, not so close as to be able to touch him – or punch him – if he decided to do so, but enough to have a position of dominance over the fallen Seeker. For the first time during the conversation, being hit included, Starscream felt a tingle of fear. "That's an ugly injury you have on your chest, Megatron… you should have it attended to."

"Your concern is touching," Megatron said, his fury beginning to decrease as he subspaced an energon cube, a purple, _deliciously purple, _energon cube…. "But don't worry about me. All I need is to refuel."

Starscream's fuel tanks ached painfully, calling for the vital liquid that was so close to them, and yet it was unreachable. What kind of sick freak was Megatron, daring to refuel in front of him, daring to _enjoy _it so much?

"I can see your game," Megatron continued, tossing aside the now empty cube. "You expected me to come here and turn you into a pile of scrap, so you could proclaim proudly how right you were. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but that is _not _going to happen. As predictable as you accuse me of being, it is your intentions that are as readable as they are ridiculous. No, Starscream, there will be no beating today. This is a pitiful victory you won't have, simply because I say so."

Starscream's optics narrowed. If his energy tanks hadn't been so close to holding only half of their capacity, he would have emptied his weapons on the hated frame of his leader.

Megatron smirked, noticing his disturbance. "What's the matter, clown? Did your childish, pathetic little plan not work? Ah, I could see your satisfaction when you saw me forcing my way in here, thinking that I would make an example out of you and thus give you the reason for carrying on with your hunger strike, or whatever you call it."

Starscream smirked too, suddenly recovering from his moment of weakness. He replaced his lust over the scent of the energon still permeating his leader's lip components with the strong thought that defeat would never be a possibility. "I'm glad to see that you understand that my hunger strike involves something more than my refusal to refuel. After all, the game is much more entertaining when playing it with a mech with at least one cerebro-shell working in the bucket he has as a head."

"You haven't lost your sense of humour, that's good. Usually you would be lubricating yourself out of pure fear. But wait, I guess you can't even afford that. How low are your fuel tanks now, Starscream? Around half?"

"You can put two and two together, Megatron, I'm amazed. What? Did you learn that during your slavery times when you counted the energon cubes you filled in the mines for your masters?"

The antic didn't work. If Starscream was controlling his fear, Megatron certainly was doing the same with his fury.

"The mines, yes…" Megatron said with disturbing nostalgia. "It was there where I learned about the value of energon. It's all about the energon. Wars will happen, lives will reach their final shutdown, worlds will be destroyed, but at the end, it's all about the energon. As you are well aware, rapid power consumption is the primary weakness of our species. We need to refuel constantly, or we die. Meaningless information for a spoiled brat such as yourself, but now that the lack of energon has started to corrode your already poor judgment perhaps you will understand that this is not a game. Suicide is not your style, Starscream, but now that you have crossed the line you have no other option but to continue your slow process of self-destruction. Is it still funny, you fool? Do you still find amusing the way your systems are starting to fail, reminding you how fragile your life is, at the end? Yes, we Cybertronians are gods. Eternity is in our reach, but remove energon from the equation and what do you have left? A weak, perishable life, just like yours. Your hunger strike was a brilliant choice, Starscream. As you can see, the last laugh will be mine, as it has always been."

Starscream got up slowly, partly to save energy and partly to state how decided he was. If Megatron was willing to take the charade to the end, so was he. "You seem to forget that I still haven't said my last word, Megatron, and that said word won't be one of defeat. Don't believe my threats, but believe the facts. You were not defeated today because the Autobots knew what you were planning, but because I wasn't there to do your dirty job. Yes, laugh all you want, leader, insult me as you always do, beat the slag out of me, but you know perfectly well that you needed me today! _You needed me!"_

Starscream and Megatron's faces were so close that the boiling hot static could be felt between both. The next step was about to be taken, and Starscream was ready to respond.

Or so he believed.

"Needed you today… And why the slag would I need treacherous vermin like you?" Megatron hissed, grabbing Starscream by the neck and pinning him to the wall.

Starscream repressed the cry of pain. Victory was again in close range, although he reminded himself that it wouldn't come deprived of pain. But he would take whatever. Stubborn slagger he could be, but now it was all about the most vital fuel of all, his own dignity.

However, he couldn't repress the blink of his optics as Megatron raised a powerful fist and stopped it mere inches from his face.

"You cower, as always," Megatron sneered. "What has changed then, Starscream, besides your fuel tanks slowly reaching depletion? I will tell you. The one thing that has changed today, and the one that will decide the course this charade will take."

Very few times had Starscream hated Megatron so much. "Do what you must, but know this, _leader_, I'm not afraid of you, I'm slagging not!"

"Leader?" Megatron said, putting his hand on Starscream's shoulder, almost affectionately. "That's where you are wrong, Starscream. I'm not your leader anymore. You were removed from your position, remember? And thus you were removed from my command, and from the Decepticon army as well."

"W-wait…" Starscream muttered, this time not giving a slag about the fear in his voice.

"I tolerated your little game so far because it amused me, and also because I wanted to prove you wrong, a job you are flawlessly fulfilling. But you crossed a line when you alerted the Autobots today, and don't dare to deny it because you will fall dead right this instant. You committed high treason. And what's the punishment of such a crime, Starscream? Tell me, if you still remember the honour code you once swore to embrace?"

Starscream was slagged and he knew it, but he hadn't gone that far to break, not just yet. "Go on and kill me if that satisfies you. You are nothing but empty words and brutish actions, Megatron! By destroying me you will only prove me right, to your optics and the ones of your idiotic followers!"

Megatron smirked, stepping back but not releasing his grip on Starscream's neck and shoulder. "Kill you? Why, Starscream, I see that your memory banks haven't started to glitch as the rest of your processor has. Termination would indeed be the thing to do with a traitor within our ranks. But you are not a Decepticon warrior anymore. You are a civilian, an Empty, one whose value is no higher than the dust beneath my feet."

Starscream struggled as Megatron dragged him towards the corridor, but it was useless. "And a civilian is unworthy of receiving what the Decepticon Code dictates regarding treason," Megatron said, taking the white flag on his way out of Starscream's quarters. "A civilian is unworthy of cohabiting with _real _Cybertronians, mechs that serve the sacred cause of might."

Starscream looked backwards, terrified as his comfortable quarters were being left behind. The white flag, now trapped in Megatron's grip, suddenly seemed so terrifying. "You… you can't kick me out, Megatron! If you do that, you'll only prove—"

"What?" Megatron interrupted, shaking Starscream like a rag doll. "That I'm that brutish, intolerant leader you claim I am, unable to solve anything without the use of violence? Interesting, considering the fact that you will leave this base in one piece and with your filthy spark inside its chamber. Your empty fuel tanks, however, are not my doing. Now tell me, who you have to blame for that?"

The corridors leading to the Command Centre were almost empty, but that didn't ease the humiliation. Being exhibited in front of his comrades in arms – _former _comrades in arms – that way only strengthened Starscream's resolve to make Megatron regret every single one of his words, not to mention the day he had been created.

Megatron reached the elevator and opened the doors. "I hope you have enough energy left to fly. My sincere condolences if you don't. Salty water is not gentle on our systems after a prolonged exposure, as you know."

"Wait! Don't do this, Megatron! We can work it out, slag it!"

"Too late for that," Megatron spat before throwing Starscream into the elevator as if he were getting rid of something disgusting. The white flag followed, falling unceremoniously over Starscream's head. "You had your chance, and you chose to stab me in the back. Goodbye Starscream. Now that you have officially become a civilian, I'll give you a friendly piece of advice: Beware. We Decepticons are not known for our kindness towards your kind. Autobot or neutral, if you are not with us you are the enemy. Make sure to hide inside the deepest hole you can find or collateral damage is the only epitaph you will have."

The closing doors were the only witnesses of Starscream's threats. Nobody else saw his fist trembling in rage and frustration. And nobody else but himself knew about the hunger opening its way through his insides.

* * *

Horrible, horrible freedom…

The wind, old acquaintance, provided no relief as it crashed against Starscream's face. As he stood on the platform of the launching tower, he faced the pinkish horizon with a sense of dread. For once the sky, his kingdom, was meaningless. Freedom presented itself like a race he would not be able to finish. The clock was ticking, and his life was escaping right before his optics. Painless, in slow motion, but escaping nevertheless.

When the launching tower started to close he had it clear that he had already been forgotten, if nothing else he was simply a bad memory soon to be eradicated. He ignited his thrusters and floated above the ocean as the only visible part of the Nemesis disappeared below the water, the reflection of the white flag in his hand making him feel more ridiculous than ever.

His first impulse was to leave a permanent mark on the slagging tower with his null rays, but hunger knew better. First impulse controlled, he returned his thoughts to the path that mattered the most: his own life. Right, his fuel tanks had enough fuel to take him to any nearby power plant and end the immediate menace of termination. But what would the point of that be? He would return to the start line, but infinitely slagged, because he was not Decepticon Second in Command no more. Slag, he was not even a Decepticon.

Then the second impulse arrived, and experience had taught Starscream that such impulse was always the right one. His dignity, almost as important as his life, had to climb the step to the first place on the podium. He had started the hunger strike for a reason, and he wasn't willing to step back this time. He wouldn't end on his knees before Megatron, pleading for the mockery the mercy of his leader was.

He transformed, clarity returning to his mind. It would take a good amount of energy to reach his objective, but it would be worth it.

_The game is barely starting, Megatron. This _civilian _is about to turn your world upside down. You will regret the way you mistreated me, but most of all, you will regret not having killed me when you had the chance!_

* * *

"Marco!"

Silence.

"Hey, I said Marco!"

"Mm, what? Oh yeah… Polo? Was that the thing Spike said I should answer with?"

Bluestreak's head peeked through the entrance of the Command Centre. "What's the purpose of this game, anyway? I'm beginning to believe you just want to get rid of me, Red."

"No, why would I want that?" Red Alert said, without detaching his attention from the surveillance monitors. _Although I could take some Bluestreak off time now that you mention it… Slag, why did Inferno have to get himself injured and spend the night in the Repair Bay? And why did Bluestreak have to be assigned to cover him? Bluestreak, of all mechs!_

"Uh, don't you get bored around here? I mean, aside from the energy raid today, the 'Cons had been kind of quiet, and quiet they will remain, as we kicked their rusted afts nice and sweet today. Did you see how I brought Skywarp down with just one shot? Did you? I targeted his equilibrium chip, and as much as Sunstreaker says I'm full of slag, I actually did, and hit it, and the result? Skywarp was grounded, just like that!"

"Yeah, yeah," Red Alert intoned, his lack of attention not being enough to disconnect him from Bluestreak's annoying chitchat. Why did Bluestreak have to talk so much? Inferno was a far better conversationalist, not to mention that he would say whatever he had to say in ten words instead of a hundred.

"Say, how full is the Repair Bay? I know we had some injured today, although nothing like the 'Cons had. Do you happen to have that information? Or maybe you can contact Ratchet. I tried to ask him earlier but he threatened me with a wrench, you know, same 'ole Ratchet. So can you ask him? It's nothing serious, but I got shot in the hand and my wrist joints have been aching all day… Nothing serious, I repeat, but still, I would like a check up if possible. Do you think you can—?"

"Hey!" Red Alert said, turning his chair and finally reaching the end of his fragile patience. "Don't you want to keep playing, Blue? Why don't you try going to the Dinobots Lair this time? See if I can hear you from there… or better, why don't you just call it off for the night? I relieve you from your surveillance duties. I can handle things here myself."

Bluestreak seemed surprised, although not precisely because of Red Alert's words. "Uh, Red?"

Red Alert stood up. "Really, I insist. You had a rough fight today, you should go and have some recharge."

"But Red…" Bluestreak insisted, looking at the big screen above Red Alert's shoulder.

Red Alert's helm started to overheat. "What? You think I'm unable to take care of the security of this base?"

"But I…"

"Who have you been talking to? Inferno?"

"Red…"

"Whatever Inferno told you is full of slag! The one and only time the security of this base was breached was his own fault. Did Inferno happen to mention that little detail to you, or did he conveniently forget it?"

"Starscream!"

Red Alert kept his mouth open, but remained wordless. Low hit, _very _low hit… some Autobots had messed with him after his temporary alliance with Starscream in order to get the Negavator, not to mention that the rumors concerning his crush on the Seeker had spread faster than cosmic rust, but he would have never expected Bluestreak to take the side of the bullies.

"How dare you… Look, that's ancient history. I don't know what Inferno said, but I—"

"No, you don't get it! Starscream is here!"

Red Alert turned around so fast that he almost fell, but his equilibrium chip definitely failed when he caught sight of the image displayed on the big screen of Teletraan I.

Starscream himself was standing outside the Ark, a white flag in one of his lifted hands and the most disturbing expression sprawled all over his face.

"Ah, I… I don't understand," Red Alert heard Bluestreak like a zillion miles away. "Is he… surrendering?"

Red Alert didn't reply, still caught by the obscene grin on the beautiful features of the Seeker's face. What the slag was that? Innocence? Mockery? In Starscream's case, it could be either. Worse, it could be both. One thing that Red Alert knew was that the fleeting peace inside the Ark was about to end.

_To be continued._

* * *

_Of course you remember the Negavator, right? _

_There will be more updates for this story, and also a couple of updates of my neglected fics are on the way... I curse the day when I decided to write so many fics at the same time… Nah, who am I'm trying to fool? I love it! So many ongoing fics and I still have the nerve to consider posting two new ones… but this time I'll wait a bit, my sanity will be thankful._

_Anyway, I hope you liked and please let me know your opinions._


	9. Chapter 9

_Okay, I had a gust of inspiration for this story and hence you have a fast update – fast considering I'm writing other stories at the same time, that is… _

_There's a mention of an event that happened some chapters ago between Starscream and Ironhide. In case you don't remember it, maybe you should take a peek to chapter three. I only say this because I know I had this story in hiatus for a long while and maybe you already forgot about it :oP_

_Many thanks to my beta reader and friend iratepirate for her priceless help with my grammar. And many thanks to all of you for reading and reviewing. I hope you will enjoy this update._

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"OK… explain this to me as if I were ten vorns old," Ironhide stated, appealing to all his patience and doing his best not to spray the hated figure of the Decepticons Second in Command with acid.

The slagger only smirked. "I could try, but I think it would suit your rusted cerebro-shells better if we try the five year old version, don't you agree, old timer?"

Ironhide scowled, the tingle of melting the Decepticon scum's pretty face with his Water-Gun never bigger.

"You will shut that trap hole you have as a mouth, Decepticlown!" Brawn spat as he punched Starscream's face, sending the Seeker to the ground.

Starscream returned calmly to his previous sitting position and leaned on the wall, somewhat laboriously due to the stasis cuffs that kept his arms immobilized behind his back. Normally he would have expressed himself through insults and yelling, but he remained unusually composed, an attitude that both surprised and disappointed his captors.

"Ah, violence… the resource of the fool and the ignorant," Starscream said. "What else could be expected from you warmongers?"

"_Warmongers? You _call us warmongers?_" _Ironhide repeated, frowning. "Now it's official… I think ya jus' fried your last functional circuit, Deceptiscum."

Starscream smirked angelically. "Says the bot who can't tell the difference between a red and a green cable... I will spare you the humiliation of going into details, Autobot."

Embarrassment intertwined with anger as Ironhide recalled the incident at the power plant. He had committed himself to forgetting about that, but it seemed like an impossible achievement due to the already bizarre attitude of the Decepticon Air Commander. Ironhide was an old timer indeed; he had seen more than most of his comrades, like, for example, the very beginnings of that cocky flier whose delusions of grandeur were only matched by his speed. Despicable as he was, in all those millenniums Starscream had only been loyal to his ambition and lack of self control, so his current attitude pointed to one single explanation.

"How wasted are ya, Decepticon punk?"

Starscream frowned at Ironhide's question, anger momentarily taking over. "I think I made myself clear last time we met that such wasn't the case! It's quite the opposite, you Autobot fool!"

"Who do you think you're talking to, junk pile?" Brawn growled, grabbing Starscream by one wing and raising a fist.

Starscream calmed down at incredible speed, honouring his fame of being one fragged up and unstable mech. He smirked at Brawn. "Are you going to hit me again, Autobot? Go on. You brutes seem to share the same language."

"We'll see if you keep talking like that when I finish with you, slag-sucker!"

"Brawn, stand down."

Three words. That's all it took for Brawn to release, even though reluctantly, his candidate for a punching bag. But, of course, it wasn't the words, but the mech who had pronounced them.

Starscream addressed the newcomer with the same smirk he would have dedicated to an acquired target. "Why, but it isn't the leader of the Autobots himself… Nice of you to finally show up, Optimus Prime. I have made a number of interesting observations regarding the violent ways of your welcoming committee. I'm hoping you Autobots have a decent complaints box."

Optimus Prime didn't seem impressed by Starscream's words; he was well acquainted with his irony, after all. "Save the acid remarks, Starscream, and proceed to explain the reason for your presence here."

"My _voluntary _presence here, you may want to rephrase. Don't forget that it was _I_ who surrendered to your troops, and without any violence on my account, I have to add. Your Autobots, on the other hand…"

"Oh, there he goes again!" Brawn spat. "Little lady wings here just can't have a nail broken without making a fuss about it."

"Verbal harassment is just another form of violence. Do you think I can't see all the fear that lies behind your brutish bravado, Autobot?"

"Why you frag face punk—"

"Brawn, I said enough," Optimus Prime stated severely, putting an abrupt halt to Brawn's rant with a single movement of his arm before addressing the prisoner again. "My time is limited, Starscream. I asked you a question and I demand an immediate answer."

Starscream narrowed his optics evilly. "What's so hard to understand? I surrendered voluntarily and _peacefully _to your valiant forces, Optimus Prime."

"Do ya have any idea of tha kind of slag I can hear in your words, Deceptiscum? What Prime here wants ta know is what tha frag is tha catch." Ironhide said, as eager as Brawn was to pound the Seeker to junk.

"Catch?" Starscream said, laughing. "There is no such thing, Autobot, I assure you… I just gave myself to my noble, former enemies as part of my new, _pacifist _convictions. I'm done with violence, and thus with war."

Ironhide took Optimus Prime's arm and awkwardly took him outside the cell. "See?" he said in low voice. "Told ya he's acting all weird… He must be up ta somethin'. That, or whatever virus he was carrying in the power plant just got worse."

"Knowing Starscream as we do, he must have his own private agenda. Tell Ratchet to have the Repair Bay ready. I want a full examination of both Starscream's structural and mental conditions. It is clear that Starscream's word is not to be trusted and that we will only obtain the truth by ourselves. And tell Prowl to redouble the vigilance. I'm afraid that Megatron has just thrown us his latest and most twisted scheme."

* * *

Starscream didn't remember the last time he had forced his very fragile patience to the breaking point. Correction, he could actually remember. It was that very current and slagging moment. It was true that he had been pushed to insanity countless times during his life, but at least back then he had been able to fight back or put up some kind of resistance. But now, as he lay strapped to a repair berth and was disturbingly being touched by Autobot hands, he was sure his breaking point was about to do that, break in the most memorable nervous attack he could ever recall.

But then he remembered what was at stake and, as always, priorities found a way. He had found a unique way of resistance, and even though it went against all his convictions, it was proving to be as easy as it was rewarding. Just the looks of confusion on the Autobots' faces, for example, were priceless. If it hadn't meant the use of energy that he needed to save, he would have recorded those images in his memory banks. He could always use a good laugh over those stupid, clueless faces.

"We're done here," Ratchet said, approaching Optimus Prime and with a glare that clearly expressed how he would prefer to be dealing with Scraplets than with the enemy Second in Command. "_And_ we found nothing. No bombs, no hidden spy devices, no viruses, nothing… even his processor is working normally. The slagger is as clean as he was the day some lunatic had the wonderful idea of creating him."

"I told you," Starscream said, trying to overcome the discomfort of being in a completely defenseless position. "You would have spared yourselves from wasting all this time if you had listened to me from the beginning. Your distrust doesn't say anything good about your oh so honourable principles."

"There is something, though," Ratchet said, ignoring Starscream. "His energon levels are very low. I'd say he hasn't refueled in days."

Starscream sneered, the moment had come to state his position – and give a start to his amusement. "And just how much time did it take all you Autobot scientists to reach that conclusion? Almost fifteen breems? I'm amazed."

"Give it to Megatron to starve his troops to death," Ironhide said with a mixture of contempt and mockery. "You're not gonna make us refuel him, right Prime? It would be a waste of Energon."

"I couldn't agree more with you on this one, old timer. I won't accept a drop of your Energon, make no mistake about that."

Ratchet turned around and raised a hand armed with a wrench, but Optimus Prime walked towards the Seeker and stepped between the projectile and its intended target. "I will ask you this one last time, Starscream. What is happening?"

It took Starscream a big effort to avoid bursting into laughter. "I started a hunger strike."

It was as if he had spoken in a language no Autobot could compute. Only Optimus Prime didn't look as if he had been hit by Unicron's fist itself.

"Hunger… what?" Wheeljack repeated stupidly, his headfins blinking in confusion.

Starscream rolled his optics. "Just how long have your pathetic lot been on this planet, not to mention in constant contact with the human vermin, and yet you don't know? I said I started a hunger strike! The reasons are not really of your concern, but you should know that I decided to expand my protest to your territory."

Ratchet advanced towards Starscream. Unlike his previous grumpy and somewhat amusing mood, the medic seemed really upset this time. "Do you know at least what a hunger strike is, you insolent punk? How do you dare joke about a serious thing such as this? Humans have died because of hunger strikes, you micro-brained maniac! And there are also the thousands who die because they have no food to energize with!"

"My, my…" Starscream sneered. "How tragic, I am touched… Would you believe me if I told you that my spark is currently being crushed by all those excruciating images, doctor? Yeah, I didn't think so… But that's the case, honestly. And yes, I know what a hunger strike is and its possible consequences, another reason why I assure you this is not a joke. I am not one to play with my life."

"But you surely love to play with our time, don't ya slagger?" Ironhide growled. "Why didn't ya tell us 'bout this hunger strike nonsense from the beginning?"

"Certainly not because I wanted to be handled by you, loathsome losers! Have you heard the word 'molesting'? Now that's another human term you might find interesting!" Starscream spat, elevating his voice only to almost immediately lower his tone. "But now that you mention it, there's an interesting reason behind my initial silence. May I bring to your attention, oh honourable Optimus Prime, the paragraph 716, section Axis, of the no less honourable Autobot Code?"

"What do you know about our code, you frag?" Ironhide said, threatening Starscream with a fist.

"I don't need any reminders about the code that make us Autobots what we are. It's one of the things that separate the followers of peace and justice from the ones who are guided only by ambition," Optimus Prime said severely. Starscream was invaded by satisfaction when he noticed that the Prime had already understood his next move.

"Yeah, I can see just how much you love peace. By the way, yours is a nice rifle, Prime, very fitting of your _peaceful_ convictions… but I shall not deviate from the point that I want to make clear. Am I correct when I say that paragraph 716, section Axis of the Autobot Honour Code states that a Decepticon deserter cannot be treated as a regular Decepticon soldier under any circumstance?"

"You seem to know our code well, Starscream, as much, of course, as it serves to your twisted purposes," Optimus Prime said.

Starscream chuckled. "You judge me hard, Prime, but I won't return you the courtesy. I suppose you are allowed to have a mistaken opinion of my… purposes, considering what has happened between me and your faction in the past. What matters now is that I'm not a Decepticon anymore, and thus the protocol to follow concerning my imprisonment must be adequate to my new status."

"An' what's that status? Insane?" Ironhide said with hoarse voice, unable to stop insulting a prisoner that soon he wouldn't be able to touch.

"Civilian," Starscream said seriously, although the word hurt him more than he had thought. "Or Empty, as we commonly refer to those Cybertronians without a faction…"

"You deserted, then?" Optimus Prime asked. To Starscream's annoyance, the accursed Prime seemed not to be impressed by his speech.

"Yes. I resigned from my position of Aerospace Commander and Second in Command of the Decepticon Empire three solar cycles ago."

Prime nodded slowly. "By resign I assume you mean that you were removed … by Megatron, I suppose."

Starscream shrugged his shoulders, or at least he tried to. Being strapped to the berth did nothing for his mobility, and a lot for his claustrophobia. "You know Megatron. He can be quite… temperamental."

"Not as much as you can be quite a glitch," Ratchet growled, toying with his wrench, more eager than ever to hit Seeker metal.

Starscream recovered his smirk, the satisfaction of annoying his enemies making his confidence arise as if propelled by a thruster. "Don't let your rage cloud your judgment, good doctor. Don't forget that you are dealing with a civilian in the middle of a hunger strike. How would history judge you if you forget about your ancient Autobot principles and hurt a mech who no longer defends the emblem of your sworn enemies? How would Primus judge you?"

"Shut yer trap hole!" Ironhide cried, unable to stand the charade anymore. "Don't ya think we know all this is your fraggin' idea of a sick joke? We won't fall for your game, Decepticon scum!"

"That would be scum alone, pops. Remember that I'm not a Decepticon anymore. My destitution was caused by the Decepticon Commander himself, which makes it as official as it could be. I'm a civilian, record that in your rusted processor. Your brig is not for me!"

"Civilian as you claim to be, that doesn't erase the high treason crimes you committed against your fellow Cybertronians," Optimus Prime said. "Coming here was a bold move, Starscream. I can understand your desperation of not having anywhere else to go after Megatron expelled you, but your criminal record remains the same. Do not expect a privileged treatment because you won't have it."

"Oh, but I expect it, Prime," Starscream sneered, malice darkening his features. "As I said, I cannot be treated as a regular Decepticon prisoner, no matter the crimes you impute me. Your beloved Autobot Code, you see, contains a not so small amount of interesting flaws, one of them the lack of regulations about the protocol to follow with a civilian prisoner. So what are you going to do, Optimus Prime? Impose your authority through might, which would make you the same as Megatron, and lock me in the brig to rust? I would have expected better of your… _peaceful _ways."

_Trapped!_ The mouse had fallen into the maze, as much as he knew what was coming. The Prime was no fool, but he was starting to realize that his righteousness would become his own doom. Starscream couldn't help but pity the Autobots, their noble ways not allowing them to leave their little zones of honour. The Decepticons, on the other hand, had no limits other than the ones of their own ambition.

_All hail Megatron… _Starscream thought with certain nostalgia. _Don't you believe that I'm not grateful for your teachings, leader, but still you will suffer…_

"You will remain in the brig until further notice, Starscream," Optimus Prime said finally. "Consider yourself free to judge my decision unfair, but I am the Autobot Supreme Commander and I have the moral and military authority to decide in cases that our Honor Code does not contemplate. However, know that my decision is not definitive, but don't allow that to encourage you. Decepticon or not, you are a war prisoner and you will be acknowledged as such at all times."

"What about his Energon levels, Prime?" Ratchet asked, not able to hide his preoccupation about a life, as despicable as he found it. Starscream felt like purging his fuel tanks, but he contained himself. He couldn't afford to waste the vital fuel, not even by manifestations of disgust caused by those Autobots fools and their pathetic ways.

"My fuel levels are not of your concern!" Starscream said angrily, shaking within his bonds. "You can call me criminal and do whatever you want with me, but depriving myself of Energon is my right and my decision! You can't force me to refuel!"

"Do you insist on playing with your life, punk? You are more insane than I thought!" Ratchet yelled, losing all patience.

"If tha fragger wants ta starve, I say we let 'im," Ironhide said. "If he dies 'cause of Energon depletion, I'm not one who'll cry for 'im. One scum less to worry about."

"Oh yes, you may be right about that, Autobot, but you are forgetting one very interesting detail."

"Ah yeah? And what would that be?"

Starscream smirked. "That if this scum dies, it will be practicing a valid form of pacific resistance… and it would happen in _your _base."

Ironhide left his mouth components open. And he wasn't the only one who was out of words, as all the Autobots present temporarily lost the ability to speak.

* * *

If anything, Optimus Prime had to admit that the Decepticons were very organized concerning their communications protocol, but it most likely had to do with Soundwave being the Communications Officer rather than Megatron actually giving any importance to the matter.

The leader of the Autobots didn't comm his evil counterpart on a regular basis, but he was certainly relieved that reaching Megatron wasn't such a difficult thing to do, considering, of course, that the Decepticon leader _wanted _to be reached. But in matters of simple protocol, Soundwave was very respectful whenever Prime accessed Decepticon frequencies – respectful as synonymous of silent and emotionless – and always connected him with Megatron without any delay. This time the case had been the same.

"Prime," Megatron said with tired voice. There were still some signals of the recent battle on his helmet. "You are not one to call only to gloat about your victories. What do you want?"

Optimus Prime straightened in his chair, his glance fixated on the image of his sworn enemy displayed on the screen. "I should ask you that same question, Megatron, as I have in my possession something that belongs to you."

Megatron didn't seem to know what Prime was talking about, but his confusion didn't last more than mere astrokliks. "Ah… so the little cockroach ended up in your base? I should have imagined… But I insist, what is the purpose of your call? Do you expect me to congratulate you for the acquisition of your newest pet vermin?"

"I want to know what in the Universe is going on," Optimus Prime said severely, his humour worse than his composed façade. "Starscream comes here, surrenders and claims that he has started a hunger strike. What kind of twisted scheme are you planning this time, Megatron?"

"This is no scheme of mine, I can assure you. If you want answers so much, I suggest you go and ask the striker himself."

"I already did, but Starscream has been very vague."

Megatron's face relaxed, amusement starting to take shape on his features. "Well, perhaps you haven't been persistent enough. In order to have the right answers, you should start to ask the right questions."

Optimus Prime could feel his discomfort increasing. He usually didn't have second thoughts about the quarrels that happened constantly between Megatron and his unstable Second in Command, but when he and his Autobots were trapped in the middle of whatever sick game they were playing, of course he had to take a personal interest in the matter.

"Starscream says you expelled him from the Decepticon ranks."

"And he didn't lie."

"Was it because of his… hunger strike?"

Megatron leaned forward, his face acquiring his usual angry features. "No. I kicked him out because the traitorous junk pile revealed confidential intel to the enemy. Or what? Do you expect me to believe that your victory today was the result of your brilliant battle strategy? Please!"

"It is true that we received an anonymous codified message with the information about your strike on that power plant…" Optimus said with lower voice.

"Well, now you know who you have to thank for that. Now, if that was all you wanted…"

"Wait!" Optimus Prime said severely. "The reason why I commed you was because I want to reach a mutual agreement concerning Starscream. I can't keep him in this base under these circumstances."

"And why not? He's your prisoner now, isn't he? Oh… I see what you mean. Since he's not a Decepticon anymore, you cannot apply the rules of your obsolete code with the severity you would want… Poor Prime, such a big dilemma you have between your hands. You would save yourself a lot of trouble if you just simply terminated your prisoners without giving any importance to their allegiance. One shot to the head and you would spare yourself of all those demagogic politics. There's no doubt you will lose this war if you insist so much on maintaining the ancient, useless regulations of the Golden Era."

Optimus Prime found it very hard to ignore Megatron's last remark, but he did. "I am talking about Starscream's hunger strike, Megatron! Aside from whatever twisted reasons he may have, his strike is serious, as his low fuel tanks demonstrate. I can't allow him to starve to death in my base, especially if the cause is the practice of a pacifist way of resistance."

Megatron smirked. "And what do you expect me to do, Prime? To get him off your back? Now that's quite an unusual petition, considering where we're standing. I don't recall the last time you asked a favour of me, but most of all, I don't recall the last time I granted one to you."

"I can actually recall the first case. As for the second, spare me the need to remind you just how much of a liar you have been every time I have tried to reach an agreement with you."

"Now you make me sound like a tyrant… All right, you win. I'll make an exception this time and will actually do you a favour. No insignias right now, Prime, and definitely no tricks. Do you want help? Fine. Here you have it. I have some advice for you, some friendly advice, as bizarre as it sounds. Follow it, and you will save yourself from an unnecessary amount of problems. Disregard it, and you will find your doom."

Optimus folded his arms across his chest. Anything containing the word friendly coming from Megatron was beyond surreal indeed, but Prime knew his sworn enemy too well to know when he was being honest.

"I'm listening, Megatron."

Megatron's smirk increased. "Hit him."

Now that was something that Optimus Prime was definitely not expecting. "What?" he said, unfolding his arms.

"Hit him," Megatron repeated as if he were talking about the most normal thing in the Universe. "Beat Starscream up before he settles the conditions of the game, because believe me, he will if you let him do so. A good beating in the right moment can be the difference between keeping the little clown under control or allowing him to gain power. Starscream has a way with words and he will use them to his advantage, no matter how much your Autobots hate him."

"That's…" Optimus shook his head. "I won't even bother telling you what I think about your… advice. I should have known you would come up with that kind of solution. Why does it have to be violence that guides every one of your steps?"

Megatron laughed. "Now you sound like Starscream… Maybe he did the right thing coming to you. Who knows? Maybe he will find his inner Autobot."

Optimus Prime was close to crashing his fist against the console of his computer. "This is no joke, Megatron! I don't want to harm Starscream, and yet your way to reach an agreement is telling me to beat him?"

Megatron stopped laughing, but he kept his smirk. "All I'm saying is that if you want Starscream to listen to you, you have to make him respect you. And I speak from experience when I tell you that the only way to embed respect into his glitched processor is through fear. Make him fear you and your battle will be won."

"I'm starting to understand why Starscream started his hunger strike, Megatron…"

"The main reason is because he's a stupid child, and you will be even more stupid if you fall for his pathetic game. But now that I think about, this could prove to be very interesting…"

"So you find this amusing?" Optimus' optics narrowed. "The mech that has been your Second for millenniums is starving to death and you find it amusing?"

Megatron shook his head slowly. "No, I find it amusing that you have just become Starscream's new experiment. I pity you, Prime, I really pity you."

"I should have known that trying to talk to you was nothing but a waste of time," Optimus said, reaching out to the button that would end the communication.

"Speak for yourself. I, on the other hand, found this conversation highly entertaining. Thank you for lightening my day, Prime, I must admit I wasn't in the best mood before you called me."

"My response to your gratitude will come at the proper moment, Megatron, and in the proper shape. Is there some more wisdom you want to share with me before I forget we ever had this conversation? Perhaps some other _friendly _advice?"

"Advice? Such as being careful of irony because you only exposed just how angry and out of resources you are? Not what I would expect from your righteouskind."

"Megatron…"

"Alright, alright… Advice, you said? What about if I call your attention to a certainty, instead?"

Optimus Prime was close to rolling his optics. "And what would that certainty be?"

One of the most evil smirks that the Autobot leader had ever seen formed on the facial features of his sworn enemy. "Starscream is your responsibility now. He's at your base, a civilian with nothing left to expect but the decisions you will make regarding his life. If he starves to termination, that will be because you allowed it. You let him in, Prime, now face the consequences."

Something cold ran through Optimus Prime's back, reaching the very core of his spark.

"And don't you forget: Starscream is _your_ problem now. Don't ever bother me regarding this matter again," Megatron spoke again before ending the communication.

The burden of leadership had always been a heavy weight to carry, but suddenly it had become very, _very, _uncomfortable…

_To be continued._

* * *

_No more long hiatus for this story, I have many ideas for the following chapters. See you soon and please review if you liked._


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